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Based on High Magnetic field Helicon eXperiment, considering the parabolic distribution and Gaussian distribution of radial plasma density, HELIC code was used to study the influence of temperature and pressure gradient on power deposition, electric field, and current density of Helicon Wave Plasma. Three different gradients (positive, negative, and zero gradient) were selected. The results show that positive temperature gradient is beneficial to increase the relative absorption power at the center of plasma. Compared with negative and zero pressure gradients, positive pressure gradient increases the relative absorption power and weakens the current density at the center of plasma, and increases the electric field intensity at the edge of plasma. Larger edge heating will cause the relative absorption power at edge to rise rapidly, which is not conducive to the coupling at the center of plasma. In practical experiments, it is particularly important to reduce the heating effect at edge by cooling the antenna itself. Three different gradients of temperature and pressure have little effect on electric field intensity and current density in plasma, and the variation trend is basically similar, which proves the stability of the antenna mode: m = 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on a novel preparation method for functional scaffolds from natural cellulose has attracted widespread attention in science and engineering. In order to obtain cellulose board which is similar to wood board in structure and mechanical properties, ice template, phase inversion under low temperature, and hot pressing were employed to fabricate board from natural cellulose. During preparation, ice template was used to control cellulose molecules arrange forming excellent orientation in the scaffold. Then, prepared scaffold was immersed in ethanol under −20 °C to remove salt ions used in cellulose resolve process, and keep the direction arrange of molecules in scaffold. Finally, prepared scaffold was treated by hot pressing for pushing off air in pores to form density board. Scanning electron microscopy image showed that prepared scaffold has directional cellulose arrange structure which was similar to that of wood. After hot pressing, the density of scaffold is increased. The mechanical properties of cellulose boards are enhanced with the increase of cellulose concentration, and the tensile strength can reach about 45 MPa, which has great potential in replacing natural wood boards. Our study provides new tactics for the use of natural cellulose in our life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different fungal guilds within the soil fungal community regulate forest ecosystem processes. Soil fungi are dictated by edaphic factors such as soil water and nutrient availabilities. However, how the total number of fungi and the composition of different fungal guilds in the soil vary under covarying pattern of nitrogen deposition and precipitation regime in temperate forests has not been well documented. In this study, we explored the effects of long‐term nitrogen‐water interactions on the diversity and composition of soil overall fungi and different fungal guilds, and their relationships with fine‐root and soil fungal mycelial traits in a temperate forest. The diversity of the totality of soil fungi or any fungal guilds did not change, but the community composition of saprotrophic and symbiotrophic fungi was significantly changed by nitrogen addition (N), showing increased abundance of soil symbiotrophic fungi but decreased abundance of soil saprotrophic fungi. Precipitation reduction (W) significantly altered soil overall and pathotrophic fungal community. Precipitation reduction combined with nitrogen addition (WN) significantly changed soil overall, pathotrophic and symbiotrophic fungal community composition. Soil pathotrophic, saprotrophic and symbiotrophic fungal community composition was variously related to fine‐root diameter, root tissue density, nitrogen and/or phosphorus concentration. Long‐term nitrogen‐water interactions decreased the complexity of soil fungal networks, reflected by the lower edges and average degree, but the higher average path distance and modularity. These findings of soil fungal guild‐specific responses to nitrogen‐water interactions will deepen our understanding of soil carbon sequestration potential and nutrient cycling in temperate forest ecosystems under future climate changes. Plain Language Summary: Many forest ecosystem processes such as decomposition of soil organic matter and nutrient cycling are regulated by soil fungi. The soil fungal community is affected by soil factors such as soil water and nutrient availabilities. However, we don't well know how soil fungi and their composition respond to soil nitrogen and water changes in temperate forests. In this study, we studied the effects of long‐term nitrogen‐water interactions on the diversity and community of soil fungi in a mixed Pinus koraiensis forest, in relation to fine‐root and soil fungal mycelial traits. We found that nitrogen addition did not change the diversity of soil overall fungi or any fungal guild, but altered the community composition of soil overall, saprotroph and symbiotroph fungi significantly. Precipitation reduction (W) and precipitation reduction combined with nitrogen addition (WN) significantly decreased the diversity of soil saprotroph fungi. W and WN increased the abundance of soil saprotroph and pathotroph fungi, but decreased that of soil symbiotroph fungi. Soil overall fungal community was related with fine‐root diameter and specific root length. Long‐term nitrogen‐water interactions simplified soil fungal networks. These findings have important implications for our better understanding of forest soil carbon sequestration potential and nutrient cycling under climate changes. Key Points: Nitrogen addition increased symbiotrophic fungi, but decreased saprotrophic fungiPrecipitation reduction altered soil overall and pathotrophic fungal communityFine‐root diameter and specific root length shaped soil overall fungal community [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional machine vision is suffering from redundant sensing data, bulky structures, and high energy consumption. Biological‐inspired neuromorphic systems are promising for compact and energy‐efficient machine vision. Multifunctional optoelectronics enabling multispectrum sensitivity for broadband image sensing, feature extraction, and neuromorphic computing are vital for machine visions. Here, an optoelectronic synapse is designed that enables image sensing, convolutional processing, and computing. Multiple synaptic plasticity triggered by photons can implement photonic computing and information transmission. Convolutional processing is realized by ultralow energy kernel generators fully controlled by photons. Meanwhile, the device shows the ability of conductance modulations under electronic stimulations that implement neuromorphic computing. For the first time, this two‐terminal broadband optoelectronic synapse enables front‐end retinomorphic image sensing, convolutional processing, and back‐end neuromorphic computing. The integrated photonic information encryption, convolutional image preprocessing, and neuromorphic computing capabilities are promising for compact monolithic neuromorphic machine vision systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ti‐30Zr‐5Al‐3V titanium alloy has an ultra‐low Young's modulus. So, it promises great application potential as a hard‐tissue implanted biomaterial. However, its surface performances need to be improved before clinical applications. In this work, a carbonated hydroxyapatite film is deposited on the surface of Ti‐30Zr‐5Al‐3V bio‐alloy using electrochemical methods. Microstructure, film‐substrate adhesion, and electrochemical corrosion behavior of carbonated hydroxyapatite deposited specimens in Ringer's solution are investigated. A homogeneous, dense, and fully covered carbonated hydroxyapatite film forms on the surface after depositing at 3 V, 90 °C for 120 minutes. The formation mechanism of the carbonated hydroxyapatite film on the micro‐nano structure surface is revealed. The corrosion performance of carbonated hydroxyapatite deposited specimens in Ringer's solution is evaluated by using potentiodynamic polarization curves. The carbonated hydroxyapatite deposition obviously enhanced the corrosion resistance of the Ti‐30Zr‐5Al‐3V bio‐alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acquisition of accurate stratospheric temperature data is of great significance for the research on global climate system and numerical weather forecasting. To obtain high‐precision stratospheric temperature, the three‐dimensional variational assimilation method, combined with kriging interpolation, was applied for data fusion of the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics, and Dynamics/Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (TIMED/SABER) temperature data and the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) radio occultation temperature data. As a sample, the two data sets of TIMED/SABER and COSMIC, during the time range from 5 December 2009, 09:00 to 5 December 2009, 15:00, were used to construct global stratospheric temperature field of 5 December 2009, 12:00. The cross‐validation results showed that temperature distribution from the variational fusion method was consistent with COSMIC observations at the height range of 15–35 km, which the mean deviations and standard deviations were within a range of −1 to 1 and 3 to 4 K, respectively. At the height range from 35 to 40 km, the temperature distribution from the variational fusion method was more consistent with TIMED/SABER observations. The mean deviations were within 0 and 0.5 K, and the standard deviations were between 1.8 and 2 K. Overall, the temperature field after variational fusion combines the high‐precision advantage of SABER observations around 40 km and the high‐precision advantage of COSMIC observations at the height range of 15–30 km, the effect of the variational fusion method is significant. Key Points: The three‐dimensional variational assimilation method was applied for the data fusion of Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics, and Dynamics/Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry data and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate data in stratosphereThe mean deviations and the standard deviations between the variational fusion data and observations were small in stratosphereThe effect of the variational fusion method was significant [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To develop and evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics models for predicting residual myoma regrowth within 1 year after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation of uterine myomas.Methods: A retrospective analysis of residual myoma regrowth within 1 year was performed on 428 myomas in 339 patients who were diagnosed with uterine myoma and treated with HIFU ablation in two hospital centers. In total, 851 radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted images (T2WI) obtained 1 day after HIFU ablation, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator in the training cohort (n = 243) was employed to select radiomics features. Support vector machines were adopted to develop radiomics, clinicoradiological and combined radiomics-clinical models to predict residual myoma regrowth, defined as an increase in residual myoma volume of > 10% between that at day 1 post HIFU and that at follow-up MRI within 1 year. These models were validated in both internal (n = 81) and external (n = 104) test cohorts. The predictive performance and clinical application of these models were assessed using receiver-operating-characteristics-curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) and decision-curve analysis.Results: The AUCs of the T2WI-based radiomics prediction model in the internal and external test cohorts were 0.834 (95% CI, 0.747-0.920) and 0.801 (95% CI, 0.712-0.889), respectively, and those of the clinicoradiological model were 0.888 (95% CI, 0.816-0.960) and 0.912 (95% CI, 0.851-0.973), respectively. The combined model had better predictive performance than either the radiomics or the clinicoradiological model, with AUC values of 0.922 (95% CI, 0.857-0.987) and 0.930 (95% CI, 0.880-0.980) in the internal and external test cohorts, respectively. Decision-curve analysis also indicated that application of the combined model has clinical value, this model achieving more net benefits than the other two models.Conclusion: T2WI-based radiomics features can predict effectively the occurrence of residual myoma regrowth within 1 year after HIFU ablation of uterine myomas, which serves as an accurate and convenient reference for clinical decision-making. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with psoriasis are at an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, a systematic analysis of its global prevalence has not been performed to date. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the prevalence of MetS among patients with psoriasis. We searched five databases from inception through September 2021 and used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) tools to assess observational study quality. Stata SE 15.1 was used to perform the data analysis. Subgroup, meta‐regression and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate interstudy heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's linear tests. The global prevalence of MetS in patients with psoriasis was 32% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26–0.38). The prevalence in adults was 32% (95% CI, 0.29–0.36), while that in children and adolescents was 9% (95% CI, 0.00–0.18). Latin America had the highest prevalence of 47% (95% CI, 0.43–0.51), whereas North America had the lowest prevalence of 26% (95% CI, 0.16–0.37). Patients with psoriasis vulgaris (29%; 95% CI, 0.23–0.35) or severe psoriasis (37%; 95% CI, 0.27–0.46) had a higher prevalence of MetS than those with other psoriasis types. These findings suggest that MetS should be appropriately recognized and managed in patients with psoriasis. More population‐based prospective observational studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the coexistence of MetS in patients with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial synapses are vital for neuromorphic computing chips that can potentially revolutionize von Neumann systems. Biomaterials‐based bio‐memristors have been investigated as synaptic emulators to develop neuromorphic computing chips due to their biocompatibility, degradability, flexibility, and low costs. However, the existing biomaterials‐based artificial synapses suffer from limited biological synapse functions, insufficient reliability, and poor endurance. Particularly, protein‐based artificial synapse with stable synaptic performances of long‐term potentiation/depression (LTP/LTD) for neuromorphic computing is challenging. Here, the soft material of egg albumen@CuO are employed to develop an artificial synapse. The device can mimic bio‐synaptic functionalities, including the excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), spike‐number‐dependent plasticity (SNDP), paired‐pulse facilitation (PPF), and LTP/LTD. High accuracy of 95% has been obtained by the neuromorphic computing simulation for pattern recognition. Combining with density functional theory calculations, multiphysics simulations, and electrical measurements, the analog resistive switching mechanism is attributed to electron hopping. In addition, the device is flexible and can be used to develop wearable systems. The results shed light on the biocompatible and wearable neuromorphic computing chips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pore fabrics characterize the anisotropy of pore space in rocks and influence the direction of fluid flow. This is important in reservoir characterization, and petroleum and geothermal energy exploitation. X‐ray computed micro‐tomography (XRCT) is commonly used to analyze pore fabrics, but limited by the micron‐scale resolution for representative 1‐inch rock cores. The magnetic pore fabric (MPF) method has been proposed to capture pores down to 10 nm. Although empirical relationships between MPF and pore space properties or permeability anisotropy are available, their application is compromised by large variability. This study integrates He pycnometry and XRCT‐derived pore space models with MPFs, and provides a quantitative comparison for calcarenite (∼50 vol% porosity and complex pore structure), and molasse sandstone (10%–30% porosity and relatively homogeneous pore fabrics). The preferred orientation of pores obtained from XRCT is described by a total shape ellipsoid, calculated by summing the second‐order tensors reflecting the best‐fit ellipsoids of individual pores. This ellipsoid is then compared to the MPF magnitude ellipsoid in terms of fabric orientation, degree and shape of anisotropy. The MPF and total shape ellipsoids are generally coaxial. The MPF has a smaller anisotropy degree than the total shape ellipsoid, and their relationship depends on the ferrofluid properties. The anisotropy shapes show large variability. Nevertheless, the good agreement of principal directions in most samples makes MPFs a valuable and efficient complementary tool to analyze a large number of samples, in combination with XRCT on selected samples, for a field‐scale pore space characterization. Plain Language Summary: Understanding underground fluid flow is a major goal when exploring geothermal energy and the migration of petroleum. These fluids transfer between pores at multiple scales. When the pores are flattened or elongated and display a preferred orientation, fluids will flow more readily in some directions compared to others. This results in preferred flow directions and flow paths. In this study, a fast way of determining pore geometry based on magnetic measurements is compared to traditional characterization methods. The good agreement between results suggests that magnetic methods can be applied as a complementary tool to include larger numbers of samples and potentially capture pores not resolved by traditional methods, with important implications for studies in geology and geological engineering. Key Points: Magnetic pore fabrics can complement X‐ray tomography, to capture small pores, and assess field‐scale variations in pore fabricsA total shape ellipsoid is derived from X‐ray tomography data, to represent average pore orientation and shape, and minimize artifactsThe principal directions of magnetic pore fabrics and total shape ellipsoids are generally coaxial in most samples [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes is an important source of nitrogen supply in sustainable agriculture. Salinity is a key abiotic stress that negatively affects host plant growth, rhizobium–legume symbiosis and nitrogen fixation. This work investigates how the symbiotic relationship impacts plant response to salinity stress.We assayed the physiological changes and the proteome profile of alfalfa plants with active nodules (NA), inactive nodules (NI) or without nodules (NN) when plants were subjected to salinity stress.Our data suggest that NA plants respond to salinity stress through some unique signalling regulations. NA plants showed upregulation of proteins related to cell wall remodelling and reactive oxygen species scavenging, and downregulation of proteins involved in protein synthesis and degradation. The data also show that NA plants, together with NI plants, upregulated proteins involved in photosynthesis, carbon fixation and respiration, anion transport and plant defence against pathogens.The study suggests that the symbiotic relationship gave the host plant a better capacity to adjust key processes, probably to more efficiently use energy and resources, deal with oxidative stress, and maintain ion homeostasis and health during salinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral fluconazole is used to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis during pregnancy. However, there are concerns regarding the pregnancy outcomes following exposure to fluconazole.Objectives: To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes associated with exposure to oral fluconazole during the first trimester of pregnancy.Search Strategy: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies published from inception until April 2019.Selection Criteria: Relevant English-language citations using the terms oral fluconazole and pregnancy in humans.Data Collection: Two reviewers independently abstracted data and assessed study quality.Main Results: Oral fluconazole use during the first trimester of pregnancy was marginally associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations (odds ratio [OR] 1.09, 95% CI 0.99-1.2, P = 0.088; n = 6 studies), whereas in the subgroup analysis, this association existed only for high-dose users (>150 mg) (OR 1. 19, 95% CI 1.01-1.4, P = 0.039; n = 2). Exposure to fluconazole also increased the risk of heart malformations (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09-1.57, P = 0.003; n = 4), cardiac septal defects (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.67, P = 0.047; n = 3), and tetralogy of Fallot (OR 3.39 95% CI 1.71-6.74, P < 0.001; n = 2) in the offspring. In addition, exposure to fluconazole was significantly associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.38-2.88, P < 0.001; n = 3).Conclusions: Oral fluconazole use during the first trimester of pregnancy appears to be associated with heart malformations and spontaneous abortion, but a causal link cannot be proven.Tweetable Abstract: Oral fluconazole during the first trimester of pregnancy may be associated with unfavourable pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a structure that employs a Faraday shield between the Shoji antenna and the dielectric tube, which aims to reduce the dielectric wall sputtering, is investigated for the helicon wave plasma (HWP) sources. Faraday shield is usually used between the antenna and the reaction chamber to reduce the radiation from the high electromagnetic field generation, as well as to prevent the sputtering of the antenna material from polluting the reaction chamber during the discharge. Here, the influence of the Faraday shield on the longitudinal and radial electric field of the antenna is analysed through COMSOL MultiphysicsTM. Significant attenuations of both the longitudinal and radial fields are observed in the presence of the shield. In addition, by comparing the electric field distribution under two different shielding parameters, it is found that the shielding effects are not the same. Therefore, a detailed study of two kinds of design (pitch and gap) for the shield was carried out. The results show that the pitch has a little impact on the overall shielding effect when the gap is unaltered. The best shielding performance appears when we set the pitch at T of 8 and 10. In addition, the shielding effect also becomes worse as the gap increases while the pitch remains unchanged. A relatively good shielding effect can be produced by setting the gap to the value of 4–8 mm (a gap/pitch ratio of 2/15–4/15). This work provides a theoretical basis for designing a Faraday shield structure between the antenna and the dielectric tube, which is helpful to realize stable and controllable HWP discharges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric rivers (AR) are large and narrow filaments of poleward horizontal water vapor transport. Because of its direct relationship with horizontal vapor transport, extreme precipitation, and overall AR impacts over land, the AR size is an important characteristic that needs to be better understood. Current AR detection and tracking algorithms have resulted in large uncertainty in estimating AR sizes, with areas varying over several orders of magnitude among different detection methods. We develop and implement five independent size estimation methods to characterize the size of ARs that make landfall over the west coast of North America in the 1980–2017 period and reduce the range of size estimation from ARTMIP. ARs that originate in the Northwest Pacific (WP) (100°−180°E) have larger sizes and are more zonally oriented than those from the Northeast Pacific (EP) (180°−240°E). ARs become smaller through their life cycle, mainly due to reductions in their width. They also become more meridionally oriented toward the end of their life cycle. Overall, the size estimation methods proposed in this study provide a range of AR areas (between 7 × 1011 and 1013 m2), that is, several orders of magnitude narrower than current methods estimation. This methodology can provide statistical constraints in size and geometry for the AR detection and tracking algorithms, and an objective insight for future studies about AR size changes under different climate scenarios. Plain Language Summary: Atmospheric rivers (AR) are a meteorological phenomenon with strong poleward water vapor transport. ARs have positive and negative impacts over the regions where they make landfall, particularly for West Coast US water resources. AR size (length, width, and area) is an important characteristic that needs to be studied, and could directly relate to the impacts of AR over land. There are large differences in size estimation between current detection methods, with areas varying over several orders of magnitude. Our study focuses on characterizing AR size using five different methods independent of the AR detection algorithm. We find that North American landfalling ARs originated in the North Pacific have areas between 7 × 1011 and 1013 m2 (between 1 and 11 times the area of California), and their lengths are on average four times their widths. ARs originating from the Northwest Pacific (WP) (100°−180°E) are bigger and more parallel to the equator than those from the Northeast Pacific (EP) (180°−240°E). Our methods provide a narrower range of size estimation than the current methods and could be used to constrain current and future AR detection methods, and it could be used in future studies to understand how AR size could vary under climate change scenarios. Key Points: Multiple independent estimates show atmospheric rivers areas are between 7 × 1011 and 1013 m2, with lower sizes range than ARTMIP estimatesLandfalling atmospheric rivers from the northwest Pacific are larger and more zonally oriented than those from the northeast PacificIn general, atmospheric rivers tend to decrease their size and become more meridionally oriented through their life cycles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal resistance is currently one of the most effective ways to achieve the performance improvement, control optimization, and on‐line fault diagnosis of fuel cells. In the fuel cell internal resistance test (FCIRT) system (FCIRTS), the alternating current (AC) disturbance signal is mainly achieved through the use of DC/DC converters or other expensive program‐controlled equipments, which are expensive and large, and it is not conducive to the commercial application of low‐cost FCIRTS. In particular, for the fuel cell vehicles based on dual‐source motors, the DC/DC structure is cancelled. Therefore, a new method should be used in the FCIRTS. To solve this problem, a low‐cost fuel cell AC disturbance signal control approach based on MOSFET high‐speed switch was proposed in this paper. In the approach, a circuit model of MOSFET high‐speed regulation was built, and the AC control of the fuel cells was achieved finally by simulation analysis and experimental verification. The proposed approach can not only independently control the AC components, but also save the system space and cost because of reducing reliance on DC/DC converters and dedicated equipments. Therefore, it is of great value to the development of low‐cost, high‐precision, and real‐time FCIRTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enzyme 12‐oxo‐phytodienoic acid reductase (OPR) is important in the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway and thus plays a vital role in plant defence. However, systematic and comprehensive analyses of OPR genes in watermelon and their roles in defence responses are extremely limited.The physicochemical properties, phylogenetic tree, gene structure and cis‐acting elements of watermelon OPR genes were analysed using bioinformatics, and qRT‐PCR and RNA‐Seq were applied to assay expression of OPR genes in watermelon.A total of five OPR family genes were identified in watermelon, which were unevenly distributed across the four chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis assigned OPR members from different plant species to five subfamilies (OPRI–OPRV). The motif compositions of OPR members were relatively conserved. Expression analysis using qRT‐PCR revealed that ClOPR genes, except for ClOPR5, were highly expressed in the flower and fruit. RNA‐seq analysis showed that the ClOPR genes had different expression patterns during flesh and rind development. Furthermore, the ClOPR genes, particularly ClOPR2 and ClOPR4, were significantly upregulated by exogenous JA, salicylic acid (SA) and ethylene (ET) treatments. In addition, red light induced expression of ClOPR2 and ClOPR4 in leaves and roots of root‐knot nematode (RKN)‐infected watermelon plants, suggesting their involvement in red light‐induced defence against RKN.These results provide a theoretical basis for elucidating the diverse functions of OPR family genes in watermelon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current rapid development of big data, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence require exponentially higher data storage capacity. The memristor technology, which stores data by controlling resistance states, demonstrates great prospects in resistive random‐access memory (RRAM), synapse construction, and neuromorphic computing. However, traditional memristor devices can only store 1‐bit of data by tuning two separate resistance states, which limits their storage density. Herein, a water‐coupled Ag/TiO2_few‐layer graphene_TiO2/Al memristor is developed as a multibit data storage system. The high and low resistance state ratio (HRS/LRS) increases from 5 to 44 when water is coupled in the device. An electrocatalytic hydrolysis‐modulated resistive switching mechanism is proposed for the physical phenomenon. Herein, not only a multilevel per cell (MLC) storage device is developed, but also a novel electrocatalysis coupling mechanism for memristor technology is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased left atrium diameter (LAD) is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases. The relationship between nutrition status and left atrial enlargement (LAE) is still unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the association of famine exposure in early life with LAE in adulthood. Methods: Participants were divided into non‐exposed, fetal, early, middle and late childhood exposed groups according to birth data. LAE was defined when LAD was ≥3.9 cm in women and ≥4.1 cm in men, or ≥2.3 cm m−2 by a sex‐independent cut‐off normalised for body surface area. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) between famine exposure and LAE. Results: In total, 2522 [905 male, mean (SD) age 59.1 (3.65) years] subjects were enrolled, including 392 (15.5%) LAE subjects. The prevalence of LAE in non‐exposed, fetal, early, middle and late childhood exposed groups was 55 (10.8%), 38 (11.2%), 88 (18.1%), 102 (16.7%) and 109 (19.0%), respectively. Compared to the non‐exposed group, the ORs for LAE were in fetal (OR = 0.956, 95% CI = 0.605–1.500, P = 0.847), late (OR = 1.748, 95% CI = 1.208–2.555, P = 0.003), middle (OR = 1.647, 95% CI = 1.140–2.403, P = 0.008) and early (OR = 1.630, 95% CI = 1.116–2.399, P = 0.012) childhood exposed groups after adjusting potential cofounders. When stratified by gender, smoking, body mass index, hypertension and diabetes, we found that the effect of famine exposure on LAE was only modified by diabetes (Pinteraction = 0.007). Conclusions: Famine exposure during childhood stage might increase the risk of LAE in adults, and this effect interacts with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy of a Siemens reduction furnace is provided by the current heating of silicon rods. Further, owing to the temperature gradient in the silicon rod, its center temperature is considerably higher than its surface temperature. The skin effect of alternating current (AC) reduces the temperature gradient within the silicon rod. Therefore, this study essentially establishes an AC heating model of 24 pairs of rod Siemens reactor based on electromagnetic theory. The calculation results are consistent with the industrial production data, indicating that the model is accurate. The results demonstrate that when the AC frequency exceeds 50 kHz, the current density at the center of the silicon rod becomes very small, tending to zero. As the frequency continues to increase, the area where the current density is close to zero expands; further, when the AC frequency exceeds 50 kHz, there exists a constant temperature zone near the central region of the silicon rod, and as the frequency of the AC increases, the range of the constant temperature zone gradually expands outward from the center of the silicon rod. The temperature difference inside the silicon rod increases with the reactor wall emissivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyse the efficacy and safety of endothelin receptor antagonists for people with diabetic kidney disease. Methods: Randomized controlled trials comparing endothelin receptor antagonists with placebo in people with diabetic kidney disease were identified through PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. We used a random‐effect model to calculate the mean difference or risk ratio with the 95% CI. Results: Seven studies with a total of 4730 participants were included. Overall, endothelin receptor antagonists significantly reduced albuminuria compared with placebo (standardized mean difference –0.48, 95% CI –0.64 to –0.33). Atrasentan, in particular, effectively reduced albuminuria (standardized mean difference –0.58, 95% CI –1.00 to –0.17) and the risk of composite renal endpoints (risk ratio 0.65; 95% CI 0.49 to 0.88), with insignificant change in the rate of congestive heart failure (risk ratio 1.40, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.56) and mortality (risk ratio 1.11, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.61). In contrast, although avosentan reduced albuminuria (standardized mean difference –0.47, 95% CI –0.57 to –0.36) and the risk of composite renal endpoints (risk ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.94), it was associated with a significant increase in congestive heart failure risk (risk ratio 2.61, 95% CI 1.36 to 5.00) and an insignificant increase in mortality risk (risk ratio 1.50, 95% CI 0.81, 2.78). No significant change in efficacy or safety outcomes with bosentan was detected. Dose–response analysis indicated that 0.75 mg/day atrasentan is expected to be optimal for renoprotection, with maximal albuminuria reduction and minimal fluid retention events. Conclusions: Among the endothelin receptor antagonists, atrasentan and avosentan, but not bosentan, are effective for renoprotection in people with diabetic kidney disease. Compared with other types and doses, atrasentan 0.75 mg/day is the most promising, with maximal albuminuria reduction and minimal fluid retention. Vigilant monitoring of congestive heart failure risk is needed in future clinical practice. (PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020169840). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Large phenotypic differences have been observed between Tongcheng and Large White pigs. However, little is known about their genetic basis. This study performed a genome‐wide comparison of CNVs between Tongcheng and Large White pigs using genome sequencing data. By combining the advantages of three different strategies (read depth, paired‐end mapping and split read), we detected in total 18 687 CNVs that covered approximately 3.5% of the pig genome length for Tongcheng and Large White pigs. We identified 1864 breed‐stratified CNVs (top 10%) by performing VST statistics. Functional enrichment analyses for genes located in breed‐stratified CNVs were found to be involved in pigmentation, behavior, immune system and reproductive processes, which coincide with phenotypic differences between the two breeds. Using a systematic analysis of the genome and transcriptome data, we further identified four novel breed‐differential CNVs on the functional genes (disease‐resistant, DCUN1D2 and SPARCL1; lipid metabolism, PLEKHA2 and SLCO1A2). Subsequent PCR validation confirmed their accurate breakpoint positions in 33 Tongcheng pigs and 33 Large White pigs. This study provides essential information on differential CNVs for further research on the genetic basis of phenotypic differences between Tongcheng and Large White pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two power sources of a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) are proton electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and Li‐ion battery (LIB). The health status of PEMFC and LIB decreases with the use of FCEV, so the energy management strategy (EMS) needs to give an optimal power distribution based on the health status of power sources throughout the lifetime. However, rule‐based control strategies cannot achieve this. To prolong the service lifetime of two power sources by optimizing power distribution, this article proposes a long‐term energy management strategy (LTEMS) for FCEV, which contains a reinforcement learning module and an improved thermostat controller. By designing a reward function, the reinforcement learning module outputted various LIB state of charge (SOC) boundary which changes with power source attenuation. Based on SOC boundary, the improved thermostat controller will control the fuel cell current under specific driving conditions. Simulation was carried out based on different LIB state of health (SOH) and external temperature, and the simulation results were compared with the data collected from FCEV under rule‐based (RB) strategies. It can be found that the proposed LTEMS can effectively reduce fuel cell and LIB attenuation, and meet the FCEV power demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1556 CE Huaxian earthquake resulted in an estimated 830,000 deaths and caused widespread devastation in the Weihe Basin, China. Seismic intensities from historical accounts yield, via magnitude‐intensity relations, a commonly quoted magnitude of 8¼ to 8½. The maximum recorded shaking was confined to a zone close to the Huashan and Weinan faults, which exhibit fresh scarps up to 7–8 m high. Recent palaeoseismic studies have suggested, however, that the Weinan fault has not ruptured at the surface for several thousand years. Furthermore, the 90‐km combined length of the Huashan and Weinan faults is short for an earthquake of magnitude 8¼ to 8½. We present a detailed analysis of the Weinan fault at one well‐preserved site, combining field observations and age constraints from fluvial terraces displaced by faulting, analysis of a high‐resolution digital elevation model (DEM), interpretation of the walls of a quarry that cuts through the fault zone, and from a profile of borehole cores across the fault. We find that the fault ruptured within the last ~900 years and is likely, along with the Huashan segment, to be the causative fault for the 1556 earthquake. The magnitude remains uncertain, with Mw ~ 7.5 being a plausible estimate given the fault length, and no more than Mw 8.0 if we use the maximum estimates of slip. These estimates are considerably smaller than magnitudes estimated from intensities, with importance in estimating the recurrence intervals between destructive earthquakes and hazard across central China. Key Points: The 1556 CE Huaxian earthquake of central China likely occurred on the Weinan‐Huaxian faultsIt potentially involved slip of up to ~10 m over a length of ~90 km; its magnitude (Mw) was likely 7.5 to a maximum of 8.0We suggest that historical magnitude from intensities overestimates the size, with implications for seismic hazard estimates in China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the barriers to early diagnosis of HIV infection and timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: We assessed the annual number and proportion of ART‐naïve people living with HIV infection (PLWH) with severe immunosuppression in Shenzhen, China, from 2008 to 2019. Selected ART‐naïve PLWHs with severe immunosuppression who were seeking treatment for the first time in the hospital in 2019 were subjected to an in‐depth interview. Results: The proportion of severely immunosuppressed, ART‐naïve PLWH decreased from 36.73% in 2008 to 8.94% in 2015, and then plateaued at approximately 10% from 2015 to 2019. Overall, 55 patients, 70% of whom were men who had sex with men, participated in the qualitative interviews. Ten of them delayed treatment after diagnosis, with a median [interquartile range (IQR)] interval of 5.83 (3.98–8.54) years between diagnosis and ART. More than 80% of the patients reported casual sexual contact within a median period of 6 years and with a median (IQR) of nine (4–20) casual sex partners. The major barriers to HIV testing and diagnosis included lack of knowledge about HIV and high‐risk behaviours, low awareness about HIV testing, and resistance to HIV testing. The major barriers to ART initiation included lack of knowledge about the importance of ART and change of national ART eligibility policy, and HIV‐related stress. Conclusions: The number of PLWHs with severe immunosuppression who seek treatment remains high in Shenzhen, China. Thus, current HIV‐related care programmes targeting access to early diagnosis and treatment need to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of facial skin problems and microbiome variation during wearing masks for fighting against COVID-19 Facial skin problems were defined as suffering from itching, stress injury, allergic dermatitis, fungal skin disease and skin maceration while wearing masks against COVID-19. Those with sensitive skin had the highest incidence due to the extreme sensitivity to external stimuli.5 Those with dry skin had a slightly higher incidence of facial skin problems than those with oily skin. [Extracted from the article]

Seed dormancy controls the timing of germination and plays a significant role in adaptation and evolution of seed plants.In this study, a yeast two‐hybrid, pull‐down assay and co‐immunoprecipitation assay were used to ascertain the protein relationship of SUVH5 and HDA19. Both qRT‐PCR and ChIP‐qPCR were used to examine the molecular mechanism of how HDA19 and SUVH5 regulate seed dormancy.The results demonstrated that histone methyltransferase SUVH5 interacted with histone deacetylase HDA19 in vivo and in vitro. In addition, they showed that mutants of HDA19 could deepen seed dormancy, and that SUVH5 had the same effect. The hda19 suvh5 double mutant displayed a higher level of seed dormancy than the single mutants hda19 or suvh5. Moreover, the expression of seed dormancy‐related genes increased in hda19, suvh5 and in hda19 suvh5 double mutant plants, which was associated with increased histone H3 acetylation (H3ac), but decreased histone H3 Lys 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2). ChIP assays proved that HDA19 could directly integrate into the chromatin of genes regulating seed dormancy.Taken together, our results show that HDA19 and SUVH5 work together and have a negative role in seed dormancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Computational analyses of gradient‐elasticity often require the trial solution to be C1 yet constructing simple C1 finite elements is not trivial. This article develops two 48‐dof 4‐node tetrahedral elements for 3D gradient‐elasticity analyses by generalizing the discrete Kirchhoff method and a relaxed hybrid‐stress method. Displacement and displacement‐gradient are the only nodal dofs. Both methods start with the derivation of a C0 quadratic‐complete displacement interpolation from which the strain is derived. In the first element, displacement‐gradient at the mid‐edge points are approximated and then interpolated together with those at the nodes whilst the strain‐gradient is derived from the displacement‐gradient interpolation. In the second element, the assumed constant double‐stress modes are employed to enforce the continuity of the normal derivative of the displacement. The whole formulation can be viewed as if the strain‐gradient matrix derived from the displacement interpolation matrix is refined by a constant matrix. Both elements are validated by the individual element patch test and other numerical benchmark tests. To the best knowledge of the authors, the proposed elements are probably the first nonmixed/penalty 3D elements which employ only displacement and displacement‐gradient as the nodal dofs for gradient‐elasticity analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of mantle discontinuities at depths of 410 and 660 km are important to study the mantle dynamics. With the advantage of global samplings, the differential travel times and the amplitude ratios of PP and its precursors (PdP) have been extensively used to estimate the topography and the impedance contrast of mantle discontinuities. According to previous studies, effects of large‐scale structures on the PP phase cannot be neglected. Theoretically, the complex near‐surface structure, including ocean layer and crustal heterogeneity, may complicate the PP phase. It is necessary to assess the uncertainties of waveform by taking into account the near‐surface complexities. Through the usage of an efficient algorithm for constructing synthetic seismograms, the effects of near‐surface structure on the differential travel times and the amplitude ratios between the PP and PdP are explored. We demonstrate that the crustal structure mainly affects PP‐PdP differential travel time with minor effects on the amplitude, while the ocean depth governs PP/PdP amplitude ratio rather than the travel time. Through incorporating the crust model, the anomalies of PP‐PdP travel time and PdP/PP amplitude ratio are globally mapped. A clear continent‐ocean pattern was observed in the measurements of differential times and amplitude ratios. Moreover, time shift caused by the near‐surface complexities may be wrongly attributed to the topography of mantle discontinuity and our tests show that the offset could be up to 15 km, which should be taken into account in future PP precursor studies. Plain Language Summary: With the advantage of global samplings, seismic waveforms of reflected PP and its precursor (PdP) have been extensively used to estimate the mantle discontinuity topography, as well as the contrast of seismic properties. According to previous studies, the effects of large‐scale structures on the PP phase cannot be neglected. Theoretically, the more complex near‐surface structure, including ocean layer and crustal heterogeneity, may complicate the PP phase. In this paper, using a new algorithm to efficiently construct seismograms, effects of near‐surface structure on the differential travel times and amplitude ratios between PP and its precursors are quantified. We demonstrate that the crustal structure mainly affects PP‐PdP differential travel times, with minor effects on the amplitudes while the ocean depth governs PP/PdP amplitude ratio rather than the travel time. Moreover, the anomalies of PP‐PdP travel time and PdP/PP amplitude ratio are globally mapped, which should be taken into account in future studies. Key Points: An algorithm is proposed for accurately and efficiently computing synthetic waveform of the PP phase and its precursorsThe effects of near‐surface structure on differential travel times and amplitude ratios between PP and its precursors are quantifiedCrustal structure mainly affects differential travel times while ocean depth governs amplitude ratios between PP phase and its precursors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CLE (CLAVATA3/ESR) gene family, encoding a group of small secretory peptides, plays important roles in cell‐to‐cell communication, thereby controlling a broad spectrum of development processes. The CLE family has been systematically characterized in some plants, but not in Brassica napus.In the present study, 116 BnCLE genes were identified in the B. napus genome, including seven unannotated, six incorrectly predicted and five multi‐CLE domain‐encoding genes. These BnCLE members were separated into seven distinct groups based on phylogenetic analysis, which might facilitate the functional characterization of the peptides.Further characterization of CLE pre‐propeptides revealed 31 unique CLE peptides from 45 BnCLE genes, which may give rise to distinct roles of BnCLE and expansion of the gene family. The biological activity of these unique CLE dodecamer peptides was tested further through in vitro peptide assays. Variations in several important residues were identified as key contributors to the functional differentiation of BnCLE and expansion of the gene family in B. napus. Expression profile analysis helped to characterize possible functional redundancy and sub‐functionalization among the BnCLE members.This study presents a comprehensive overview of the CLE gene family in B. napus and provides a foundation for future evolutionary and functional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the antibiofilm effect of proanthocyanidin (PA) solution as an irrigant against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and its influence on the mechanical properties and biodegradation resistance of demineralized root dentine. Methodology: Enterococcus faecalis were introduced into human root dentine tubules by a serial centrifugation method and grown for 1 week. Dentine blocks infected with 1‐week‐old E. faecalis biofilms were treated with the following irrigants: sterile water (control), 2% chlorhexidine (CHX), 2% PA, 5% PA and 10% PA. After treatment, the live and dead bacteria proportions within E. faecalis biofilms were analysed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. To evaluate the biostability of fully demineralized dentine treated by the aforementioned irrigants, the elastic modulus and hydroxyproline release of human dentine incubated in collagenase solution were tested at baseline, after irrigant treatment and after biodegradation, respectively. Furthermore, the surface chemical bond of demineralized dentine collagen treated by various irrigants was characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Statistical analysis was performed using one‐way anova and Tukey's post hoc multiple comparisons with the significance level at 5%. Results: The proportion of dead E. faecalis volume was significantly higher in the PA and CHX groups than that in the control group (P < 0.05). PA irrigation significantly increased the mechanical properties of demineralized dentine (P < 0.05), and the effect was enhanced with increasing PA concentration. CHX and PA groups had significantly less elasticity loss and hydroxyproline release (P < 0.05). The biomodification of dentine collagen by PA was verified by increased C‐O/C‐N peak percentage under C1s and C‐O peak percentage under O1s narrow‐scan XPS spectra. Conclusions: Proanthocyanidin killed E. faecalis within biofilms and enhanced the biostability of the collagen matrix of demineralized root dentine. It might be used as an auxiliary endodontic irrigant with antibiofilm and collagen‐stabilizing effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kind of low cost, high breakage resistance ceramic proppant special for exploitation of the coal‐bed methane is successfully produced. The producing conditions are optimized through orthogonal experimental design method. The breakage resistance results of the orthogonal analyses show the best condition of this kind of ceramic proppant is A4B3C3D2, which means sintering temperature of 1350 °C, manganese mineral powder content of 5 wt.%, weight ratio of 75/25 (second grade bauxite to mujie clay), and holding time of 3 h. The ceramic proppants under this very condition of A4B3C3D2 are then prepared and their phase structure and microstructure are characterized subsequently. X‐ray diffraction pattern exhibits that mullite and corundum are the main crystallographic phases. Scanning electron microscopy illustrates the A4B3C3D2 sample is with non‐porous morphology and small amount of corundum grains and liquid phase, which play the role of improving strength. It reveals the orthogonal experimental design is a feasible optimization method and the ceramic proppant made under the condition of A4B3C3D2 is a promising material for exploiting the coal‐bed methane resources. The conditions for preparation of a kind of low cost, high‐breakage‐resistance ceramic proppant were optimized through orthogonal experimental design method. Nearly all the grains show a uniformly acicular morphology that represents the mullite grains, which intertwine around each other, but apparent pores are also formed. While a small amount of liquid phase can be observed, and few apparent pores can be seen. Both the generation of moderate liquid phase and the increasing corundum phase contribute to the better breakage resistance of the sample A4B3C3D2 than that of A4B3C2D1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the ultrafine grained (UFG) tungsten has been fabricated via high pressure torsion (HPT) of various turning numbers at a temperature of 823 K and a pressure of 1.5 GPa. The microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties of initial and high pressure torsion processed tungsten have been comparatively investigated by means of x‐ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and microhardness tests. It is shown that high pressure torsion leads to microstructure refinement with an average grain size of ∼0.92 μm and the fraction of high angle grain boundaries (HAGB) increasing to 62.9 %. Moreover, the dislocation density increases from initial 1.17×1014 m−2 to 3.89×1014 m−2. The microhardness tests revealed that hardness increased gradually and its distribution became more homogeneous with torsion strain increasing. The strengthening model was established considering the grain boundary strengthening and dislocation strengthening mechanisms. Resultantly, deviation of Hall‐Petch slope was found from the classic values, which is attributed to the easy movement of the extrinsic dislocations in the high angle grain boundaries with high distortion energy and high density of defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sucrose is the main product of photosynthesis in plants, providing a rich carbon and energy source for the physiological growth and development of insects. In a previous study, we identified a novel sucrose hydrolase (SUH) in the larval midgut of moths. Intriguingly, there are two copies of Suh, namely Suh1 and Suh2, in several species of butterflies. However, the biochemical characteristics of SUHs in butterflies remain unclear. In this study, we found that this duplication and subsequent diversification produced two Suh genes in Papilio xuthus. These two PxSuh genes were significantly divergent in terms of their expression pattern and enzyme properties. PxSuh messenger RNA expression was highest during the larval stage, reduced in the prepupal and pupal stages and, for PxSuh1, slightly increased again in the adult. The observed levels of PxSuh2 were overall below those of PxSuh1 amongst the development stages examined. Compared with PxSUH2, which has maintained the original gene function of maltose hydrolysis, PxSUH1 exhibits substrate specificity for sucrose with an optimum enzyme activity occurring at an alkaline pH. The data show that PxSuh1 is evolutionarily adapted for effective functioning in an alkaline digestive system. Furthermore, we find that functional diversification of Suh facilitates P. xuthus to digestive carbohydrate of host plants. Thus, our findings offer new insights into the ecological and evolutionary adaptation of digestive enzymes in butterflies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of constant improvements in sequencing technologies, numerous insect genomes have been sequenced. Currently, 1219 insect genome‐sequencing projects have been registered with the National Center for Biotechnology Information, including 401 that have genome assemblies and 155 with an official gene set of annotated protein‐coding genes. Comparative genomics analysis showed that the expansion or contraction of gene families was associated with well‐studied physiological traits such as immune system, metabolic detoxification, parasitism and polyphagy in insects. Here, we summarize the progress of insect genome sequencing, with an emphasis on how this impacts research on pest control. We begin with a brief introduction to the basic concepts of genome assembly, annotation and metrics for evaluating the quality of draft assemblies. We then provide an overview of genome information for numerous insect species, highlighting examples from prominent model organisms, agricultural pests and disease vectors. We also introduce the major insect genome databases. The increasing availability of insect genomic resources is beneficial for developing alternative pest control methods. However, many opportunities remain for developing data‐mining tools that make maximal use of the available insect genome resources. Although rapid progress has been achieved, many challenges remain in the field of insect genomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: About half or more of treatment‐resistant depressed patients do not respond to ketamine, and few clinical predictors to gauge the most likely antidepressant response have been proposed. We explored whether depression subtypes are associated with response to ketamine. Method: Ninety‐seven participants with depression were administered six repeated‐dose intravenous ketamine and assessed for depression (Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, MADRS), anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, HAMA), and suicidal ideation (Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, SSI) at baseline, 24 h after each infusion, and 2 weeks after the whole treatment. Participants were classified by melancholic/anxious subtype. Individuals who met criteria for neither or both subtypes were classified separately, resulting in four mutually exclusive groups. Results: Patients with melancholic or melancholic–anxious features were less likely to respond (e.g., day 13, melancholic–anxious vs. anxious, OR 0.138, 95% CI 0.032–0.584, P = 0.007) or remit (e.g., day 26, melancholic vs. no subtype, OR 0.182, 95% CI 0.035–0.960, P = 0.045) and took longer to achieve response/remission than those with anxious or no subtype features. Faster HAMA score reductions were observed in patients with anxious or melancholic–anxious features, and faster SSI score reductions were observed among those with melancholic–anxious features. Conclusion: Our study shows promising results for ketamine as a novel antidepressant preferentially for the treatment of non‐melancholic or anxious depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of biological soil crusts (BSC) on vascular plant growth can be positive, neutral or negative, and little information is available on the impacts of different BSC successional stages on vascular plant population dynamics.We analysed seedling emergence, survival, plant growth and reproduction in response to different BSC successional stages (i.e. habitats: bare soil, cyanobacteria, lichen and moss crusts) in natural populations of Echinops gmelinii Turcz. in the Tengger Desert of northwest China. The winter annual E. gmelinii is a dominant pioneer herb after sand stabilisation.During the early stages of BSC succession, the studied populations of E. gmelinii were characterised by high density, plant growth and fecundity. As the BSC succession proceeded beyond moss crusts, the fecundity decreased sharply, which limited seedling recruitment. Differences in seedling survival among the successional stages were not evident, indicating that BSC have little effect on survival in arid desert regions. Moreover, E. gmelinii biomass allocation exhibited low plasticity, and only reproductive allocation was sensitive to the various habitats. Our results further suggest that the negative effects of BSC succession on population dynamics are primarily driven by increasing topsoil water‐holding capacity and decreasing rain water infiltration into deeper soil.We conclude that BSC succession drives population dynamics of E. gmelinii, primarily via its effect on soil moisture. The primary cause for E. gmelinii population decline during the moss‐dominated stage of BSC succession is decreased fecundity of individual plants, with declining seed mass possibly reducing the success of seedling establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi‐phase DC/DC converter is widely used in fuel cell vehicles to adjust the voltage. Single phase mode of converter is adopted to increase efficiency when current ripple meets requirement. Therefore, it is necessary to commutate between different phases at low frequency, due to the temperature rising of each phase‐leg. However, narrow pulse current occurs during the phase commutation. Pulse current can cause variations in water and gas content inside the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), which is the driving force for degradation. To analyze the effect of low frequency narrow pulse current on fuel cell, an isothermal 1D‐PEM fuel cell model is presented to characterize the transient changes of these parameters: gas stoichiometry, relative humidity, water content and pressure difference. After comparing the influence on fuel cell of four types of pulse current, the results reveal that the 4 ms narrow pulse current cannot affect fuel cell lifetime, since no gas shortage occurred, the change of relative humidity and membrane water content are less than 1‰ and the pressure difference varies within specified range. Besides, the membrane lifetime reduces to 4,166 h as the width of narrow pulse current increased from 4 ms to 0.8 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the traces and residues of unearthed silk fibres is crucial for further analysis and study. In this study, an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the monoclonal antibodies specific to Bombyx mori fibroin was developed in order to for detect ancient silk. Five monoclonal antibodies were successfully prepared based on fibroin hydrolysate, and four had a high specificity for mulberry silk. Furthermore, they could be used to discern B. mori fibre from tussah fibre and eri fibre. The ELISA standard curve of the most sensitive monoclonal antibody, anti‐Silk Fibroin (SF)‐3, was y = 0.022x + 0.177 (R2 = 0.998), and the detection limit was 4.65 ng/ml. Using this antibody, we successfully identified five ancient mulberry silk samples from different time periods. The results suggest that ELISA assays based on monoclonal antibodies can be used as an immunological testing method for unearthed silk fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally find mechanical properties in uniaxial tension/compression and torsional deformations of the 7901 epoxy resin used as a matrix to fabricate T300/7901 unidirectional (UD) fiber‐reinforced composite. A series of off‐axis tensile tests on the composite were conducted, and micrographs of the fiber–matrix interface at different load levels, using a Scanning Electron Microscope, taken to ascertain their ultimate tensile strengths. Values of the elasto‐plastic parameters for the epoxy determined from the tests, and the handbook values of the fiber parameters were used in a micromechanics‐based bridging model to predict ultimate tensile strengths of off‐axis loaded composite by considering stress concentration effects due to debonding at the fiber/matrix interface. For the 30° off‐axis loaded laminate, the predicted ultimate strength is found to agree well with that determined experimentally, and the interface debonding occurs before the ultimate failure. The UD composite is assumed to fail when either the fiber or the matrix failure criterion is satisfied. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:2639–2652, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the bow shock crossing events from four spacecraft: IMP 8, Geotail, Magion‐4, and Cluster 1, a new three‐dimensional asymmetric bow shock model is constructed. The model is parameterized by the solar wind dynamic pressure, the interplanetary magnetic field, magnetosonic Mach number, solar wind β, and the Earth's dipole tilt angle. It is shown that the shape and size of bow shock are both affected by the dipole tilt angle. The dipole tilt angle causes asymmetries in the meridional plane: (1) the bow shock subsolar standoff distance and the north‐south asymmetry increase with the dipole tilt angle; (2) as the dipole tilt angle increases, the shock flaring angle in the equatorial plane is slightly reduced, while in the meridional plane the flaring angle obviously decreases in Southern Hemisphere and keeps almost unchanged in the Northern Hemisphere. The flaring angle in the Northern Hemisphere is larger than in the Southern Hemisphere; (3) the effects of negative dipole tilt angle on shock flaring are just the opposite of those for positive tilt, and the effects of dipole tilt angle on the shape of the bow shock are north‐south symmetric. The model results are also validated by comparing with one previous empirical model and with observational crossings, and it is demonstrated that the new model is able to predict the observed crossings more accurately and can better describe the rotational asymmetry and north‐south asymmetry of the Earth's bow shock. Key Points: We construct an asymmetric three‐dimensional bow shock model with dipole tilt effectsShape and size of bow shock are both affected by the dipole tilt angleThe dipole tilt angle causes asymmetries of bow shock in the meridional plane [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is of great economic importance as a provider of milk and meat in many countries. However, the milk yield of buffalo is much lower than that of Holstein cows. Selection of candidate genes related to milk production traits can be applied to improve buffalo milk performance. A systematic review of studies of these candidate genes will be greatly beneficial for researchers to timely and efficiently understand the research development of molecular markers for buffalo milk production traits. Here, we identified and classified the candidate genes associated with buffalo milk production traits. A total of 517 candidate genes have been identified as being associated with milk performance in different buffalo breeds. Nineteen candidate genes containing 47 mutation sites have been identified using the candidate gene approach. In addition, 499 candidate genes have been identified in six genome‐wide association studies (GWASes) including two studies performed with the bovine SNP chip and four studies with the buffalo SNP chip. Genes CTNND2 (catenin delta 2), APOB (apolipoprotein B), FHIT (fragile histidine triad) and ESRRG (estrogen related receptor gamma) were identified in at least two GWASes. These four genes, especially APOB, deserve further study to explore regulatory roles in buffalo milk production. With growth in the number of buffalo genomic studies, more candidate genes associated with buffalo milk production traits will be identified. Therefore, future studies, such as those investigating gene location and functional analyses, are necessary to facilitate the exploitation of genetic potential and the improvement of buffalo milk performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical and prognostic features of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody‐associated demyelination with different onset phenotypes. Methods: A total of 52 MOG‐IgG‐seropositive patients were divided into four groups: (i) optic neuritis (ON) at onset (MOG‐ON+, n = 23), (ii) transverse myelitis (TM) at onset (MOG‐TM+, n = 12), (iii) pure brain symptoms at onset (MOG‐ON−‐TM−, n = 14) and (iv) both ON and TM at onset (n = 3). This final group was not included in further analyses. Data were collected through medical records and regular follow‐up. Results: Median age at presentation was 24 (range, 3–63) years in the whole cohort (50% female). MOG‐ON−‐TM− patients had the youngest age of onset across the three groups. Patients with MOG‐TM+ tended to relapse more frequently and had a longer interval to first relapse than was observed in MOG‐ON+ and MOG‐ON−‐TM− patients. High MOG‐IgG titres were associated with increased cerebrospinal fluid leukocytes. The likelihood of harbouring transient, low MOG‐IgG titres was higher in the MOG‐TM+ group than in the other groups. After a median disease duration of 20 months, most but not all cases had a favourable outcome, with 8% developing severe visual deficit, 2% becoming wheelchair‐dependent and 6% developing cognitive impairment. The onset phenotype appeared to be an important predictor of disability type. Having high MOG‐IgG titres (odds ratio, 0.168, P = 0.027) or female gender (odds ratio, 0.270, P = 0.067) was associated with a lower likelihood of complete recovery. Conclusions: Onset phenotype may influence long‐term presentation, MOG‐IgG status as well as outcome. Further large and prospective studies are needed to better clarify the clinical implications of the first demyelinating event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is primarily grown as a staple tree crop for food security in Oceania. Significant wind damage has driven interest in developing its dwarfing rootstocks. Due to the predominantly vegetative propagation of the species, grafting onto interspecific seedlings is an approach to identifying dwarfing rootstocks. However, grafting of breadfruit onto unrelated Artocarpus species has not been investigated.Here we first report the success of breadfruit grafting onto interspecific rootstocks, marang (A. odoratissimus) and pedalai (A. sericicarpus). To address the low graft survival, we investigated the relationship of plasma membrane (PM) H+‐ATPase activity to graft success.We provide the first evidence for a positive correlation between PM H+‐ATPase activity and graft survival. The graft unions of successful grafts had higher PM H+‐ATPase activity compared to those of failed grafts. Rootstocks with low PM H+‐ATPase activity in leaf microsomes before grafting had lower graft survival than those with high enzyme activity, with graft success of 10% versus 60% and 0% versus 30% for marang and pedalai rootstocks, respectively. There was a positive correlation between graft success and the PM H+‐ATPase activity measured from the rootstock stem microsomes 2 months after grafting [marang, r(7) = 0.9203, P = 0.0004; pedalai (r(7) = 0. 8820, P = 0.0017]. Removal of scion's own roots decreased the leaf PM H+‐ATPase activity of grafted plants regardless of the final graft outcome. Recovery of the enzyme activity was only found in the successful grafts.The function of PM H+‐ATPase in graft union development and graft success improvement is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ion beam induced heat damage in soft materials and biological samples is not yet well understood in Focused Ion Beam systems (FIBs). The work presented here discusses the physics behind the ion beam – sample interactions and the effects which lead to increases in sample temperature and potential heat damage. A model by which heat damage can be estimated and which allows parameters to be determined that reduce/prevent heat damage was derived from Fourier's law of heat transfer and compared to finite element simulations, numerical modelling results and experiments. The results suggests that ion beam induced heat damage can be prevented/minimised by reducing the ion beam current (local dose rate), decreasing the beam overlap (reduced local ion dose) and by introducing a blur (increased surface cross‐section area, reduced local dose) while sputtering, patterning or imaging soft material and nonresin‐embedded biological samples using FIBs. Lay description: FIB/SEMs, which combine a scanning electron microscope with a focused ion beam in a single device, have found increasing interest biological research. The device allows to cut samples at precisely selected areas and reveal sub surface information as well as preparing transmission electron microscope samples from bulk materials. Preparing biological samples has proven to be challenging due to the induced heat damage. This work explores the physics behind the sample cutting and proposes a model and a method, based on physical principles which allows the user to estimate the induced heat during the cutting process and to select cutting parameters which avoid heat damage in the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phase relations of Al2SiO5 have been studied by multianvil experiments at pressures of 13–23 GPa and temperatures of 2000–2900 K. Al2SiO5 kyanite was found to transform into two new high‐pressure forms of Al2SiO5 (kyanite II and III) at temperatures exceeding 2300–2500 K and pressures of 14–23 GPa: The first phase transition occurs near 14 GPa, and the second occurs near 17 GPa. The new Al2SiO5 phases have triclinic and monoclinic crystal symmetries with zero‐pressure densities of 3.876(2) and 3.982(1) g/cm3, respectively, which are significantly denser than kyanite (ρ0 = 3.666 g/cm3) but less dense than the isochemical mixture of Al2O3 corundum and SiO2 stishovite (ρ0 = 4.036 g/cm3). The exceptionally high stability temperatures of the new Al2SiO5 phases suggest that they are unlikely to form in the present mantle but may be found in some impact craters and shocked meteorites and act as important indicators of pressure and temperature for the shock events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phase relations of Al2SiO5 have been studied by multianvil experiments at pressures of 13–23 GPa and temperatures of 2000–2900 K. Al2SiO5 kyanite was found to transform into two new high‐pressure forms of Al2SiO5 (kyanite II and III) at temperatures exceeding 2300–2500 K and pressures of 14–23 GPa: The first phase transition occurs near 14 GPa, and the second occurs near 17 GPa. The new Al2SiO5 phases have triclinic and monoclinic crystal symmetries with zero‐pressure densities of 3.876(2) and 3.982(1) g/cm3, respectively, which are significantly denser than kyanite (ρ0 = 3.666 g/cm3) but less dense than the isochemical mixture of Al2O3 corundum and SiO2 stishovite (ρ0 = 4.036 g/cm3). The exceptionally high stability temperatures of the new Al2SiO5 phases suggest that they are unlikely to form in the present mantle but may be found in some impact craters and shocked meteorites and act as important indicators of pressure and temperature for the shock events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]