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The effect of moisture on the fracture resistance of asphalt concrete is a significant concern in pavement engineering. To investigate the effect of the water vapor concentration on the fracture properties of asphalt concrete, this study first designed a humidity conditioning program at the relative humidity (RH) levels of 2%, 50%, 80%, and 100% for the three types of asphalt concrete mixtures (AC-13C, AC-20C, and AC-25C).The finite element model was developed to simulate the water vapor diffusion and determine the duration of the conditioning period. The semi-circular bending (SCB) test was then performed at varying temperatures of 5 °C, 15 °C, and 25 °C to evaluate the fracture energy and tensile strength of the humidity-conditioned specimens. The test results showed that the increasing temperature and the RH levels resulted in a lower peak load but greater displacement of the mixtures. Both the fracture energy and tensile strength tended to diminish with the rising temperature. It was also found that moisture had a significant effect on the tensile strength and fracture energy of asphalt concrete. Specifically, as the RH level increased from 2% to 100% (i.e., the water vapor concentration rose from 0.35 g/m3 to 17.27 g/m3), the tensile strength of the three types of mixtures was reduced by 34.84% on average, which revealed that the water vapor led to the loss of adhesion and cohesion within the mixture. The genetic expression programming (GEP) model was developed to quantify the effect of water vapor concentrations and temperature on the fracture indices.

Fatigue cracking is one of the primary distresses of asphalt pavements, which significantly affects the asphalt pavement performance. The fatigue behavior of the asphalt mixture observed in the laboratory test can vary depending on the type of fatigue test and the dimension and shape of the test specimen. The variations can make it difficult to accurately evaluate the fatigue properties of the field asphalt concrete. Accordingly, this study proposed a reliable method to evaluate the fatigue behavior of the asphalt field cores based on discrete element modeling (DEM). The mesoscopic geometric model was built using discrete element software PFC (Particle Flow Code) and CT scan images of the asphalt field cores. The virtual fatigue test was simulated in accordance with the semi-circular bending (SCB) test. The mesoscopic parameters of the contacting model in the virtual test were determined through the uniaxial compression dynamic modulus test and SCB test. Based on the virtual SCB test, the displacement, contact forces, and crack growth were analyzed. The test results show that the fatigue life simulated in the virtual test was consistent with that of the SCB fatigue test. The fatigue cracks in the asphalt mixture were observed in three stages, i.e., crack initiation, crack propagation, and failure. It was found that the crack propagation stage consumes a significant portion of the fatigue life since the tensile contact forces mainly increase in this stage.

Movement-specific vehicle classification and counting at traffic intersections is a crucial component of various traffic management activities. In this context, with recent advancements in computer-vision-based techniques, cameras have emerged as a reliable data source for extracting vehicular trajectories from traffic scenes. However, classifying these trajectories by movement type is quite challenging, as characteristics of motion trajectories obtained this way vary depending on camera calibrations. Although some existing methods have addressed such classification tasks with decent accuracies, the performance of these methods significantly relied on the manual specification of several regions of interest. In this study, we proposed an automated classification method for movement-specific classification (such as right-turn, left-turn and through movements) of vision-based vehicle trajectories. Our classification framework identifies different movement patterns observed in a traffic scene using an unsupervised hierarchical clustering technique. Thereafter, a similarity-based assignment strategy is adopted to assign incoming vehicle trajectories to identified movement groups. A new similarity measure was designed to overcome the inherent shortcomings of vision-based trajectories. Experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed classification approach and its ability to adapt to different traffic scenarios without any manual intervention.

The fouling of separation membranes has consistently been a primary factor contributing to the decline in membrane performance. Enhancing the surface hydrophilicity of the membrane proves to be an effective strategy in mitigating membrane fouling in water treatment processes. Zwitterionic polymers (containing an equimolar number of homogeneously distributed anionic and cationic groups on the polymer chains) have been used extensively as one of the best antifouling materials for surface modification. The conventional application of zwitterionic compounds as surface modifiers is intricate and inefficient, adding complexity and length to the membrane preparation process, particularly on an industrial scale. To overcome these limitations, zwitterionic polymer, directly used as a main material, is an effective method. In this work, a novel zwitterionic polymer (TB)—zwitterionic Tröger’s base (ZTB)—was synthesized by quaternizing Tröger’s base (TB) with 1,3-propane sultone. The obtained ZTB is blended with TB to fabricate microfiltration (MF) membranes via the vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS) process, offering a strategic solution for separating emulsified oily wastewater. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle, and zeta potential measurements were employed to characterize the surface of ZTB/TB blended membranes, assessing surface morphology, charge, and hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties. The impact of varying ZTB levels on membrane surface morphology, hydrophilicity, water flux, and rejection were investigated. The results showed that an increase in ZTB content improved hydrophilicity and surface roughness, consequently enhancing water permeability. Due to the attraction of water vapor, the enrichment of zwitterionic segments was enriched, and a stable hydration layer was formed on the membrane surface. The hydration layer formed by zwitterions endowed the membrane with good antifouling properties. The proposed mechanism elucidates the membrane’s proficiency in demulsification and the reduction in irreversible fouling through the synergistic regulation of surface charge and hydrophilicity, facilitated by electrostatic repulsion and the formation of a hydration layer. The ZTB/TB blended membranes demonstrated superior efficiency in oil–water separation, achieving a maximum flux of 1897.63 LMH bar−1 and an oil rejection rate as high as 99% in the oil–water emulsion separation process. This study reveals the migration behavior of the zwitterionic polymer in the membrane during the VIPS process. It enhances our comprehension of the antifouling mechanism of zwitterionic membranes and provides guidance for designing novel materials for antifouling membranes.

In the context of global warming and intensified human activities, the quantitative assessment of the combined effects of land use/cover change (LUCC) and climate change on the hydrological cycle is crucial. This study was based on the simulation results of future climate and LUCC in the Jinghe River Basin (JRB) using the GFDL–ESM2M and CA–Markov combined with the SWAT models to simulate the runoff changes under different scenarios. The results revealed that the future annual precipitation and average temperature in the JRB are on the increase, and the future LUCC changes are mainly reflected in the increase in forest and urban lands and decrease in farmlands. Changes in runoff in the JRB are dominated by precipitation, and the frequency of extreme events increases with the increase in the concentration of CO2 emissions. Under four climate scenarios, the contribution of future climate change to runoff changes in the JRB is −8.06%, −27.30%, −8.12%, and +1.10%, respectively, whereas the influence of future LUCC changes is smaller, ranging from 1.14–1.64%. In response to the future risk of increasing water-resources stress in the JRB, the results of this study can provide a scientific basis for ecological protection and water-resources management and development.

Landscape architects have a responsibility to society, the environment, the client, and other professional organizations. Professionals that undertake landscape-led planning projects need to adopt a comprehensive approach in all the associated aspects. This article summarizes a unique experience in landscape-led planning practice in the UK where most projects are either town planning or architect-led: (1) the housing scarcity problem in towns and villages, land within the Green Belt in the UK is in strict governance by planning policies. In this article, a case study of exceptional infilling villages in East Hertfordshire is used to drive a landscape-led, multi-disciplinary planning process and to analyze all expertise assignments involved; (2) materials were sought from a variety of sources including council official online guidance, public open access materials, project team communication, and consultation results which covered local residents engagement and anonymous comments during the publicity period of the planning decision. Desktop studies, site visits, and the expertise of the multi-disciplinary team were applied throughout the case; (3) with a year of planning teamwork, the proposed development of the study site met the local sustainable growth that planning permission for high-quality residential dwellings was granted by the Local Planning Authority; (4) since known landscape-led planning examples are limited in the UK, the case study formed a good example for scholars and researchers who are interested in planning in the Green Belt.

Laboratory tests were carried out in accordance with ASTM C664-10(2020) to measure diffusion parameters in an asphalt mixture. These diffusion parameters are effective measures for use in asphalt mixtures. However, the tests could not provide detailed images of the water vapour distribution in the asphalt mixture. To solve this problem, this study provides a method for establishing a numerical model of moisture diffusion in an asphalt mixture, and gives a more detailed picture of the water vapour movement inside the asphalt mixture. Through numerical simulation results obtained under different external conditions, it was demonstrated that water molecules were mainly concentrated in medium III after 100 days of diffusion. After 1000 days of diffusion, the water molecules gradually penetrated the asphalt film in the aggregate particles. Additionally, the water vapour concentrations in the asphalt mixture varied significantly from spot to spot, and various concentration gradients were formed at different locations. These findings revealed that water vapour concentrations in an asphalt mixture vary significantly from spot to spot, forming various concentration gradients at different locations. These findings will be helpful in revealing the mechanism of water damage caused by moisture in asphalt mixtures.

Revealing the impact of future climate change on the characteristics and evolutionary patterns of meteorological and hydrological droughts and exploring the joint distribution characteristics of their drought characteristics are essential for drought early warning in the basin. In this study, we considered the Jinghe River Basin in the Loess Plateau as the research object. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized runoff index (SRI) series were used to represent meteorological drought and hydrological drought with monthly runoff generated by the SWAT model. In addition, the evolution laws of the JRB in the future based on Copula functions are discussed. The results showed that: (1) the meteorological drought and hydrological drought of the JRB displayed complex periodic change trends of drought and flood succession, and the evolution laws of meteorological drought and hydrological drought under different spatiotemporal scales and different scenario differ significantly. (2) In terms of the spatial range, the JRB meteorological and hydrological drought duration and severity gradually increased along with the increase in the time scale. (3) Based on the joint distribution model of the Copula function, the future meteorological drought situation in the JRB will be alleviated when compared with the historical period on the seasonal scale, but the hydrological drought situation is more serious. The findings can help policy-makers explore the correlation between meteorological drought and hydrological drought in the background of future climate change, as well as the early warning of hydrological drought.

Effective pharmacotherapy of bipolar depression with mixed features defined by DSM-5 remains unclear in clinical treatment guidelines. Quetiapine (QTP) and valproate have potential treatment utility but are often inadequate as monotherapy. Meanwhile, the efficacy of combination therapies of QTP plus valproate or lithium have yet to be verified. Hence, we conducted a randomized controlled pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of QTP monotherapy in patients with bipolar depression with mixed features defined by DSM-5 and compared the combination therapy of QTP plus valproate (QTP + V) versus QTP plus lithium (QTP + L) for those patients who responded insufficiently to QTP monotherapy. Data was analyzed according to the intent-to-treat population. Generalized linear mixed model was performed by using “nlme” package in R software. A total 56 patients were enrolled, among which, 35 patients responded to QTP alone, and 11 and 10 patients were randomly assigned to QTP + V and QTP + L group, respectively. Nearly 60% enrolled patients responded to QTP monotherapy at the first two weeks treatment. No statistically significant difference in efficacy between QTP + V and QTP + L was observed. In conclusion, QTP monotherapy appeared to be efficacious in patients with bipolar depression with mixed features, and for those who responded insufficiently to QTP, combining with either valproate or lithium appeared to have positive effects.

This paper examines the use of augmented reality technology in the design of packaging for takeaway food to assist in marketing. The research is divided into three studies for progressive investigation and analysis. Study 1 collected 375,859 negative evaluations of food delivery from the Internet and explored the main reasons that may have impacted the user’s evaluation by Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling. Study 2 evaluated the effectiveness of augmented reality packaging by surveying 165 subjects and comparing it with traditional packaging. We conducted a survey of 1603 subjects in Study 3 and used the technology incentive model (TIM) to analyze how augmented reality technology positively impacts food delivery marketing. It has been established that packaging will influence the negative perception of consumers about buying and eating takeout food. Specifically, augmented reality technology can improve negative evaluations by providing a more conducive user experience than traditional packaging. According to our findings, augmented reality technology has improved the consumers’ perception of interaction, perceived vividness, and novelty experience, and achieved the aim of promoting takeaway food retail by improving negative evaluations posted by users.

Background: Multimodal postoperative pain regimens are widely used following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, there are few studies on the rehabilitation of the co-application of local infiltration analgesia (LIA) and femoral nerve block (FNB) combined with dexmedetomidine (DEX) for patients undergoing TKA. This study aimed to investigate the effect of LIA plus FNB and co-application of perioperative DEX on TKA outcomes. Methods: 95 patients were randomized into two groups. Patients in group B (n = 48) received a single preoperative FNB and LIA. Patients in group A (n = 47) received FNB and LIA, as well as continuous intravenous injection of DEX starting from the induction of anesthesia to postoperative day 2. All patients were allowed patient-controlled analgesia postoperatively. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores, knee range of motion (ROM) degrees, narcotic consumption, length of hospital stay (LOS), complications, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scores and Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) Scores were recorded. Results: In group A, the mean VAS scores at rest and during movement were lower, the amount of rescue analgesia was decreased, first time of ambulation was reduced, ROM was improved, MoCA-B Scores were increased, LOS was shorter, HSS scores were higher postoperatively compared with group B (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study indicated multimodal analgesia involving a single FNB and LIA combined with DEX accelerates rehabilitation for patients undergoing TKA.

The size of datasets is growing exponentially as information technology advances, and it is becoming more and more crucial to provide efficient learning algorithms for neural networks to handle massive amounts of data. Due to their potential for handling huge datasets, feed-forward neural networks with random weights (FNNRWs) have drawn a lot of attention. In this paper, we introduced an efficient feed-forward neural network scheme (FNNS) for processing massive datasets with random weights. The FNNS divides large-scale data into subsets of the same size, and each subset derives the corresponding submodel. According to the activation function, the optimal range of input weights and biases is calculated. The input weight and biases are randomly generated in this range, and the iterative scheme is used to evaluate the output weight. The MNIST dataset was used as the basis for experiments. The experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm has a promising future in processing massive datasets.

Hexokinase (HXK) family proteins exert critical roles in catalyzing hexose phosphorylation, sugar sensing, and modulation of plant growth and stress adaptation. Nevertheless, a large amount remains unknown about the molecular profile of HXK enzymes in Populus trichocarpa, a woody model tree species. A genome-wide survey of HXK-encoding genes, including phylogenies, genomic structures, exon/intron organization, chromosomal distribution, and conserved features, was conducted, identifying six putative HXK isogenes (PtHXK1-6) in the Populus genome. The evolutionary tree demonstrated that 135 homologous HXKs between 17 plant species were categorized into four major subfamilies (type A, B, C, and D), clustering one plastidic (PtHXK3) and five mitochondrial PtHXKs grouped into type A and B, respectively. The in silico deduction prompted the presence of the conserved sugar-binding core (motif 4), phosphorylation sites (motif 2 and 3), and adenosine-binding domains (motif 7). The transcriptomic sequencing (RNA-seq) and the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays revealed that three isogenes (PtHXK2, 3, and 6) were abundantly expressed in leaves, stems, and roots, while others appeared to be dominantly expressed in the reproductive tissues. Under the stress exposure, PtHXK2 and 6 displayed a significant induction upon the pathogenic fungi (Fusarium solani) infection and marked promotions by glucose feeding in roots. In contrast, the PtHXK3 and 6 are ABA-responsive genes, following a dose-dependent manner. The comprehensive analyses of the genomic patterns and expression profiling provide theoretical clues and lay a foundation for unraveling the physiological and signaling roles underlying the fine-tuned PtHXKs responding to diverse stressors.

Promoting agricultural green growth has become an indispensable key content to speed up the process of agricultural modernization, has become a necessary prerequisite to achieve common prosperity of the rural people, and has become the basic practice of implementing people-centered development thought in the stage of high-quality development. Many researchers have studied the problems, level measurement and route choice of the growth of agriculture. However, there have been few studies on how to promote the agricultural green growth from the perspective of agricultural modernization, and how to combine the green agricultural GDP with the agricultural green total factor productivity (GTFP). To address this research inadequacy, in this paper, we focus on the time and space comparison of green agricultural GDP, agricultural GTFP, and their source decomposition, and summarize and discuss the key factors affecting agricultural GTFP. The results show that the share of output value of green agriculture in Tongren City is relatively high within the region of the province, and there is a large temporal and spatial difference between the change of agricultural GTFP and agricultural technology utilization efficiency and agricultural technology progress. At the same time, the improvement of economic development level can significantly promote the rise of agricultural GTFP, agricultural technology utilization efficiency, and agricultural technology progress. On balance, our results compare green agricultural GDP, agricultural GTFP, and their source decomposition in time and space, and reveals their evolution law and development trend from the perspective of high-quality development of agricultural modernization. In this way, we can provide an empirical basis and decision-making reference for accelerating the high-quality development of agricultural modernization.

Traditional analytical methods for thalassemia screening are needed to process complicated and time-consuming sample pretreatment. In recent decades, ambient mass spectrometry (MS) approaches have been proven to be an effective analytical strategy for direct sample analysis. In this work, we applied ambient MS with wooden-tip electrospray ionization (WT-ESI) for the direct analysis of raw human blood samples that were pre-identified by gene detection. A total of 319 whole blood samples were investigated in this work, including 100 α-thalassemia carriers, 67 β-thalassemia carriers, and 152 control healthy samples. Only one microliter of raw blood sample was directly loaded onto the surface of the wooden tip, and then five microliters of organic solvent and a high voltage of +3.0 kV were applied onto the wooden tip to generate spray ionization. Multiply charged ions of human hemoglobin (Hb) were directly observed by WT-ESI-MS from raw blood samples. The signal ratios of Hb chains were used to characterize two main types of thalassemia (α and β types) and healthy control blood samples. Our results suggested that the ratios of charged ions to Hb chains being at +13 would be an indicator for β-thalassemia screening.

Various reaction mechanisms for the catalytic degradation of formaldehyde (HCHO) remain to be debated. Density functional theory (DFT) was applied to investigate whether the catalytic oxidation of HCHO on pristine Co3O4 (110) surface follows the Mars-van Krevelen (MvK) mechanism or the Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism. Firstly, HCHO and O2 co-adsorb on the surface and two H atoms from HCHO are peculiarly prone to transfer to O2, forming CO and HOOH. For the MvK mechanism, CO2 is generated through CO grabbing a lattice oxygen. Meanwhile, the O–O bond of HOOH is broken into two OH groups. One OH fills the oxygen vacancy and its H atom moves to another OH group for H2O formation. For the L-H mechanism, CO directly obtains one OH group to generate COOH. Subsequently, the H atom of COOH transfers to another OH group along with CO2 and H2O generation. Both two mechanisms exhibit a similar maximum activation barrier. The lattice oxygen in the MvK mechanism and the surface-absorbed OH group in the L-H mechanism are the key reactive oxygen species. The small difference in energetic span further suggests that the catalytic cycle through the two mechanisms is feasible. This theoretical study provides new insight into the catalytic reaction path of HCHO oxidation on pristine Co3O4 surface.

Microbial infection can trigger the assembly of inflammasomes and promote secretion of cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-18. It is well-known that Salmonella modulates the activation of NLRC4 (NLR family CARD domain-containing protein 4) and NLRP3 (NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3) inflammasomes, however the mechanisms whereby Salmonella avoids or delays inflammasome activation remain largely unknown. Therefore, we used Salmonella Enteritidis C50336ΔfliC transposon library to screen for genes involved in modulating inflammasomes activation. The screen revealed the galactose metabolism-related gene galE to be essential for inflammasome activation. Here, we found that inflammasome activation was significantly increased in J774A.1 cells or wild-type bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) during infection by ΔfliCΔgalE compared to cells infected with ΔfliC. Importantly, we found that secretion of IL-1β was Caspase-1-dependent, consistent with canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Furthermore, the virulence of ΔfliCΔgalE was significantly decreased compared to ΔfliC in a mouse model. Finally, RNA-seq analysis showed that multiple signaling pathways related to the inflammasome were subject to regulation by GalE. Taken together, our results suggest that GalE plays an important role in the regulatory network of Salmonella evasion of inflammasome activation.

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is an important zoonotic pathogen that can lead to diarrhea and systemic infections in humans and mortality in animals. This is a major public health issue worldwide. Safe and effective vaccines are urgently needed to control and prevent Salmonella infection. Subunit vaccines are safe and provide targeted protection against Salmonella spp. Here, we developed and evaluated an S. Enteritidis subunit vaccine candidate, the rHis-SseB adjuvant with simvastatin. We amplified the SseB gene from S. Enteritidis C50041 genomic DNA and expressed the recombinant proteins rHis-SseB and rGST-SseB using the Escherichia coli system. Western blotting confirmed the immunoreactivity of recombinant proteins rHis-SseB and rGST-SseB with antisera against Salmonella Enteritidis C50041. In a mouse model of intramuscular vaccination, co-immunization with rHis-SseB and simvastatin significantly enhanced both the SseB-specific antibody titer in serum (humoral immune response) and splenic lymphocyte proliferation (cellular immune response). Co-immunization with rHis-SseB and simvastatin provided 60% protection against subsequent challenge with the S. Enteritidis C50041 strain and decreased bacterial colonization in the liver and spleen. These findings provide a basis for the development of an S. Enteritidis subunit vaccine.

Continuous observations from geostationary satellites can show the morphology of precipitation cloud systems in quasi-real-time, but there are still large deviations in the inversion of precipitation. We used binary-connected area recognition technology to identify meso-β-scale rain clusters over Hainan Island from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2018, based on Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM data. We defined and statistically analyzed the parameters of rain clusters to reveal the typical morphological and precipitation characteristics of rain clusters, and to explore the relationship between the parameters and rainfall intensity of rain clusters. We found that the area and long axis of rain clusters over land were larger than those over the ocean, and that continental rain clusters were usually square in shape. Rain clusters with a larger area and longer axis were concentrated on the northern side of the mountains on Hainan Island and the intensity of rain was larger on the northern and eastern sides of the mountains. The variation of continental rain clusters over time was more dramatic than the variation of oceanic clusters. The area and long axis of rain clusters was larger between 14:00 and 21:00 from April to September and the long axis of the oceanic rain clusters increased in winter. There were clear positive correlations between the area, long axis and shape of the rain clusters and the maximum rain rate. The area and long axis of continental rain clusters had a higher correlation with the rain rate than those of oceanic clusters. The establishment of a relationship between the morphology of rain clusters and precipitation helps us to understand the laws of precipitation and improve the prediction of precipitation in this region.

Naphthoquinone-based meroterpenoids are hybrid polyketide-terpenoid natural products with chemical diversity and a broad range of biological activities. Here, we report the isolation of a group of naphthoquinone-containing compounds from Streptomyces sp. B9173, and their structures were elucidated by using a combination of spectroscopic techniques, including 1D, 2D NMR, and high-resolution mass (HRMS) analysis. Seven flaviogeranin congeners or intermediates, three of which were new, have been derived from common naphthoquinone backbone and subsequent oxidation, methylation, prenylation, and amino group incorporation. Both flaviogeranin B1 (1) and B (2) contain an amino group which was incorporated into the C8 of 1,3,6,8-terhydroxynaphthalene (THN). Flaviogeranin D (3) contains an intact C-geranylgeranyl residue attached to the C2 of THN, while the O-geranylgeranyl group of 2 links with the hydroxyl on the C2 site of THN. Four compounds were selected and tested for antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity, with 3 and flaviogeranin C2 (5) displaying potent activity against selected bacteria and cancer cell lines. In light of the structure features of isolated compounds and the biosynthetic genes, a biosynthetic pathway of naphthoquinone-based flaviogeranins has been proposed. These isolated compounds not only extend the structural diversity but also represent new insights into the biosynthesis of naphthoquinone-based meroterpenoids.

Opioid analgesics such as morphine have indispensable roles in analgesia. However, morphine use can elicit side effects such as respiratory depression and constipation. It has been reported that G protein-biased agonists as substitutes for classic opioid agonists can alleviate (or even eliminate) these side effects. The compounds PZM21 and TRV130 could be such alternatives. Nevertheless, there are controversies regarding the efficacy and G protein-biased ability of PZM21. To demonstrate a rationale for the reduced biasing agonism of PZM21 compared with that of TRV130 at the molecular level, we undertook a long-term molecular dynamics simulation of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) upon the binding of three ligands: morphine, TRV130, and PZM21. We found that the delayed movement of the W2936.48 (Ballesteros–Weinstein numbering) side chain was a factor determining the dose-dependent agonism of PZM21. Differences in conformational changes of W3187.35, Y3267.43, and Y3367.53 in PZM21 and TRV130 explained the observed differences in bias between these ligands. The extent of water movements across the receptor channel was correlated with analgesic effects. Taken together, these data suggest that the observed differences in conformational changes of the studied MOR–ligand complexes point to the low-potency and lower bias effects of PZM21 compared with the other two ligands, and they lay the foundation for the development of G protein-biased agonists.

The Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been applied for the simulation of lid-driven flows inside cavities with internal two-dimensional circular obstacles of various diameters under Reynolds numbers ranging from 100 to 5000. With the LBM, a simplified square cross-sectional cavity was used and a single relaxation time model was employed to simulate complex fluid flow around the obstacles inside the cavity. In order to made better convergence, well-posed boundary conditions should be defined in the domain, such as no-slip conditions on the side and bottom solid-wall surfaces as well as the surface of obstacles and uniform horizontal velocity at the top of the cavity. This study focused on the flow inside a square cavity with internal obstacles with the objective of observing the effect of the Reynolds number and size of the internal obstacles on the flow characteristics and primary/secondary vortex formation. The current LBM has been successfully used to precisely simulate and visualize the primary and secondary vortices inside the cavity. In order to validate the results of this study, the results were compared with existing data. In the case of a cavity without any obstacles, as the Reynolds number increases, the primary vortices move toward the center of the cavity, and the secondary vortices at the bottom corners increase in size. In the case of the cavity with internal obstacles, as the Reynolds number increases, the secondary vortices close to the internal obstacle become smaller owing to the strong primary vortices. In contrast, depending on the sizes of the obstacles ( R / L = 1/16, 1/6, 1/4, and 2/5), secondary vortices are induced at each corner of the cavity and remain stationary, but the secondary vortices close to the top of the obstacle become larger as the size of the obstacle increases.

This paper presents a multi-state adaptive early warning method for mechanical equipment and proposes an adaptive dynamic update model of the equipment alarm threshold based on a similar proportion and state probability model. Based on the similarity of historical equipment, the initial thresholds of different health states of equipment can be determined. The equipment status is divided into four categories and analyzed, which can better represent its status and provide more detailed and reasonable guidance. The obtained dynamic alarm lines at all levels can regulate the operation range of equipment in the different health states. Compared to the traditional method of a fixed threshold, this method can effectively reduce the number of false alarms and attains a higher prediction accuracy, which demonstrates its effectiveness and superiority. Finally, the method was verified by means of lifetime data of a rolling bearings. The results show that the model improves the timely detection of the abnormal state of the equipment, greatly reduces the false alarm rate, and even overcomes the limitation of independence between the fixed threshold method and equipment state. Moreover, multi-state division can accurately diagnose the current equipment state, which should be considered in maintenance decision-making.

The potential value of multiplexed positron emission tomography (PET) tracers in mice with turpentine-induced inflammation was evaluated and compared with 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) for glucose metabolism imaging. These PET tracers included [18F]fluoromethylcholine ([18F]FCH) for choline metabolism imaging, (S-[11C]methyl)-D-cysteine ([11C]DMCYS) for amino acid metabolism imaging, [11C]bis(zinc(II)-dipicolylamine) ([11C]DPA-Zn2+) for apoptosis imaging, 2-(4-N-[11C]-methylaminophenyl)-6-hydroxybenzothiazole ([11C]PIB) for β amyloid binding imaging, and [18F]fluoride (18F−) for bone metabolism imaging. In mice with turpentine-induced inflammation mice, the biodistribution of all the tracers mentioned above at 5, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min postinjection was determined. Also, the time-course curves of the tracer uptake ratios for inflammatory thigh muscle (IM) to normal uninflammatory thigh muscle (NM), IM to blood (BL), IM to brain (BR), and IM to liver (LI) were acquired, respectively. Moreover, PET imaging with the tracers within 60 min postinjection on a clinical PET/CT scanner was also conducted. [18F]FDG and 18F− showed relatively higher uptake ratios for IM to NM, IM to BL, IM to BR, and IM to LI than [18F]FCH, [11C]DPA-Zn2+, [11C]DMCYS and [11C]PIB, which were highly consistent with the results delineated in PET images. The results demonstrate that 18F− seems to be a potential PET tracer for inflammation imaging. [18F]FCH and [11C]DMCYS, with lower accumulation in inflammatory tissue than [18F]FDG, are not good PET tracers for inflammation imaging. As a promising inflammatory tracer, the chemical structure of [11C]DPA-Zn2+ needs to be further optimized.

Thermal annealing is performed as a post treatment to tune the color generated by pulsed laser processing of a titanium substrate surface. A comparison of the reflectance spectra before and after thermal annealing shows the peak shift, as well as an increase in overall reflectance, which demonstrates that the color hue changes and the lightness of color increases. Microscope image shows that additional blue and yellow colors on the titanium surfaces are generated through the thermal annealing treatment. Further analyses show that the rate and area of the color shift depend on the annealing temperature and duration. Chemical composition analyses reveal that a TiO2 layer is generated after the laser processing of the titanium surface. Post-thermal annealing causes further oxidation and generates Ti2O3. The tuning process and mechanism behind it are discussed.

The similar crystal structures of martensite (BCT) and ferrite (BCC) cause difficulty in distinguishing the grain orientations of individual phases in dual-phase (DP) steels. A dislocation-based multiphase mixed hardening model is presented, considering both ferrite and martensite strain partitioning, to describe the texture-dependent mechanical behavior of DP steels more precisely. This model is based on the ideals that (i) the volume fractions of the constituent phases and the corresponding strain partitioning function are obtained through in situ tensile experimentation, and (ii) the grain orientations of ferrite and martensite are assumed to be in accordance with the overall texture. We applied the model to calculate the macroscopic and microscopic mechanical behavior of DP800 steel using a crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) code. The results show that the calculated stress-strain response and textural evolution are in good agreement with the experimental results. The dislocation evolution indicates that the rapid hardening of ferrite induces a high hardening rate for DP steels early in plastic deformation. In addition, for the grains corresponding to the texture center orientations of DP800, the activity and dislocation density evolutions of the slip systems are studied.

The covertness of the active sonar is a very important issue and the sonar signal waveform design problem was studied to improve covertness of the system. Many marine mammals produce call pulses for communication and echolocation, and existing interception systems normally classify these biological signals as ocean noise and filter them out. Based on this, a bio-inspired covert active sonar strategy was proposed. The true, rather than man-made sperm whale, call pulses were used to serve as sonar waveforms so as to ensure the camouflage ability of sonar waveforms. A range and velocity measurement combination (RVMC) was designed by using two true sperm whale call pulses which had excellent range resolution (RR) and large Doppler tolerance (DT). The range and velocity estimation methods were developed based on the RVMC. In the sonar receiver, the correlation technology was used to confirm the start and end time of sonar signals and their echoes, and then based on the developed range and velocity estimation method, the range and velocity of the underwater target were obtained. Then, the RVMC was embedded into the true sperm whale call-train to improve the camouflage ability of the sonar signal-train. Finally, experiment results were provided to verify the performance of the proposed method.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), a novel and effective modulator in carcinogenesis, has become a study hotspot in recent years. The imprinted oncofetal lncRNA H19 is one of the first identified imprinted lncRNAs with a high expression level in embryogenesis but is barely detectable in most tissues after birth. Aberrant alterations of H19 expression have been demonstrated in various tumors, including gastric cancer (GC), implicating a crucial role of H19 in cancer progression. As one of the top malignancies in the world, GC has already become a serious concern to public health with poor prognosis. The regulatory roles of H19 in gastric carcinogenesis have been explored by various research groups, which leads to the development of GC therapy. This review comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge of H19 in tumorigenesis, especially in GC pathogenesis, with emphasis on the underneath molecular mechanisms depicted from its functional partners. Furthermore, the accumulated knowledge of H19 will provide better understanding on targeted therapy of GC.

The TEAD family of transcription factors is necessary for developmental processes. The family members contain a TEA domain for the binding with DNA elements and a transactivation domain for the interaction with transcription coactivators. TEAD proteins are required for the participation of coactivators to transmit the signal of pathways for the downstream signaling processes. TEADs also play an important role in tumor initiation and facilitate cancer progression via activating a series of progression-inducing genes, such as CTGF, Cyr61, Myc and Gli2. Recent studies have highlighted that TEADs, together with their coactivators, promote or even act as the crucial parts in the development of various malignancies, such as liver, ovarian, breast and prostate cancers. Furthermore, TEADs are proposed to be useful prognostic biomarkers due to the ideal correlation between high expression and clinicopathological parameters in gastric, breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. In this review, we summarize the functional role of TEAD proteins in tumorigenesis and discuss the key role of TEAD transcription factors in the linking of signal cascade transductions. Improved knowledge of the TEAD proteins will be helpful for deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and identifying ideal predictive or prognostic biomarkers, even providing clinical translation for anticancer therapy in human cancers.