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Rock and soil strength profoundly influences the stability of open-pit mine slopes. Traditional slope design, based on limited drilling data, often disregards inherent uncertainties. Effectively utilizing new sample information from mining operations poses a challenge, hindering dynamic and differentiated design for the entire perimeter slope. To address this, we propose a dynamic optimization method considering rock mass strength uncertainty for the entire perimeter slope. Our approach involves designing slope angles separately in different zones, while thoroughly considering decision-makers' preferences. Furthermore, we delegate the final adjustment authority of slope angles within the safety permissible range to on-site decision-makers. Compared to traditional methods, our dynamic design method incorporates rock mass strength uncertainty into slope evaluation while also accounting for decision-makers' safety and economic preferences. Through a case study of a specific open-pit mine, our proposed dynamic design method increases the overall slope angle by approximately 2.5°, fully accommodating the influence of on-site decision-making preferences on slope design. This article introduces a new method of dynamic optimization of open-pit mine slope based on simplified observation method, which improves the flexibility of decision-making and realizes the differential design of the whole surrounding slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As mechanized open-pit coal mining intensifies, assessing and predicting slope stability has become increasingly important. To address the limitations of traditional mechanical calculations, numerical simulations, and physical experiments, this paper identifies the key factors impacting slope stability in open-pit mines and develops a multi-parameter sample data set. The study employs hyperparameters optimized using a Bayesian algorithm, introduces additional convolutional layers, and combines the Adam optimizer with dropout techniques to enhance the feature extraction and performance of one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-CNN). This leads to a Bayesian-optimized one-dimensional convolutional neural network (B-1D MCNN) model for predicting slope stability.The study evaluates the classification performance and accuracy of various models for slope stability, including BP neural networks, genetic algorithm-optimized convolutional neural networks, 1D-CNN, and B-1D MCNN, using accuracy, precision, and F1-score as metrics. The analysis also examines the influence of factor indicators and training set length on the model's output to assess its generalization capabilities.The research findings suggest that: (1) the B-1D MCNN model for evaluating slope stability demonstrates the capability to accurately depict the nonlinear correlation between influencing factors and slope stability. (2) Compared with other models, the B-1D MCNN model has shown enhancements of 10.96% to 27.85%, 10.26% to 28.55%, and 8.98% to 25.05% in terms of Accuracy, F1-Score, and Precision, respectively. (3) As the length of the training dataset increases, the performance of the model improves accordingly. (4) The B-1D MCNN model shows a generalization power of 87.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing runoff changes is of great importance especially its responses to the projected future climate change on local scale basins because such analyses are generally done on global and regional scales which may lead to generalized conclusions rather than specific ones. Climate change affected the runoff variation in the past in the upper Daqinghe Basin, however, the climate was mainly considered uncertain and still needs further studies, especially its future impacts on runoff for better water resources management and planning. Integrated with a set of climate simulations, a daily conceptual hydrological model (MIKE11-NAM) was applied to assess the impact of climate change on runoff conditions in the Daomaguan, Fuping and Zijingguan basins in the upper Daqinghe Basin. Historical hydrological data (2008–2017) were used to evaluate the applicability of the MIKE11-NAM model. After bias correction, future projected climate change and its impacts on runoff (2025–2054) were analysed and compared to the baseline period (1985–2014) under three shared social economic pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5) scenarios from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) simulations. The MIKE-11 NAM model was applicable in all three Basins, with both R2 and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency coefficients greater than 0.6 at daily scale for both calibration (2009–2011) and validation (2012–2017) periods, respectively. Although uncertainties remain, temperature and precipitation are projected to increase compared to the baseline where higher increases in precipitation and temperature are projected to occur under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, respectively in all the basins. Precipitation changes will range between 12%–19% whereas temperature change will be 2.0°C–2.5°C under the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, respectively. In addition, higher warming is projected to occur in colder months than in warmer months. Overall, the runoff of these three basins is projected to respond to projected climate changes differently because runoff is projected to only increase in the Fuping basin under SSP2-4.5 whereas decreases in both Daomaguan and Zijingguan Basins under all scenarios. This study's findings could be important when setting mitigation strategies for climate change and water resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a destructive complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study aimed to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MIAT in high-glucose (HG)-induced podocyte injury associated with DN. Methods: Three human kidney podocyte (HKP) cultures were treated with HG to mimic DN. Expression of lncRNA MIAT, podocyte-specific and injury-related proteins, and apoptosis were assessed before and after MIAT knockdown using MIAT shRNAs. Results: MIAT expression was upregulated in HKPs in response to glucose stress. HG treatment resulted in a significant increase in the apoptotic rate, Bax level, and levels of injury-related proteins desmin, fibroblast-specific protein 1 (FSP-1), and smooth muscle α-actin (α-SMA), and a significant reduction in Bcl-2 levels and the levels of podocyte-specific proteins synaptopodin and podocin. Transfection of HKPs with shRNAs significantly reduced MIAT levels (p < 0.05) and attenuated apoptosis in HG-medium. Correspondingly, the levels of synaptopodin and podocin were upregulated, and desmin, FSP-1, and α-SMA were reduced (p < 0.05). Western blot analysis also showed that anti-apoptotic active caspase-3 and Bax and proapoptotic Bcl-2 were elevated and decreased, respectively, after MIAT knockdown, suggesting that apoptosis pathways are deactivated after MIAT downregulation. Conclusions: High glucose upregulates MIAT level in HKPs and induces cellular injury. Knockdown of MIAT alleviates the injury likely via deactivating apoptosis pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative visible-light mediated and NHC-catalyzed dearomative arylation-acylation of N-(2-bromobenzoyl)indoles with aldehydes was developed, affording the corresponding highly functionalized polycyclic indolines in moderate to good yields with exclusive diastereoselectivities. Mechanism investigations support the activation of CAr–Br bond via visible-light mediated energy transfer (EnT) and the following single-electron-transfer (SET) with Breslow intermediate under NHC catalysis to give key aryl radical and ketyl radical. This protocol demonstrates the cleavage of CAr–Br bond under mild cooperative EnT/NHC catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discerning weak electric fields has important implications for cosmology, quantum technology, and identifying power system failures. Photonic integration of electric field sensors is highly desired for practical considerations and offers opportunities to improve performance by enhancing microwave and lightwave interactions. Here, we demonstrate a high-Q microcavity electric field sensor (MEFS) by leveraging the silicon chip-based thin film lithium niobate photonic integrated circuits. Using the Pound-Drever-Hall detection scheme, our MEFS achieves a detection sensitivity of 5.2 μV/(m Hz ), which surpasses previous lithium niobate electro-optical electric field sensors by nearly two orders of magnitude, and is comparable to atom-based quantum sensing approaches. Furthermore, our MEFS has a bandwidth that can be up to three orders of magnitude broader than quantum sensing approaches and measures fast electric field amplitude and phase variations in real-time. The ultra-sensitive MEFSs represent a significant step towards building electric field sensing networks and broaden the application spectrum of integrated microcavities. Here the authors develop a chip-scale thin-film lithium niobate microcavity electric field sensor enabling real-time amplitude and phase measurements of various electric field waveforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious complication of diabetes and is the primary cause of end-stage renal disease. Current treatment strategies primarily focus on the inhibition of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system and the attainment of blood glucose control. Although current medical therapies for DKD have been shown to delay disease progression and improve long-term outcomes, their efficacy is limited and they may be restricted in certain cases, particularly when hyperkalemia is present. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment has emerged as a significant complementary approach for DKD. TCM monomers, derived from various Chinese herbs, have been found to modulate multiple therapeutic targets and exhibit a broad range of therapeutic effects in patients with DKD. This review aims to summarize the mechanisms of action of TCM monomers in the treatment of DKD, based on findings from clinical trials, as well as cell and animal studies. The results of these investigations demonstrate the potential effective use of TCM monomers in treating or preventing DKD, offering a promising new direction for future research in the field. By providing a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms and efficacy of TCM monomers in DKD, this review highlights the potential of these natural compounds as alternative therapeutic options for improving outcomes in patients with DKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problem of excessive local secondary stripping between adjacent mining areas in open pit mines caused by internal row raising, a multivariate function was fitted to the model of the main mining seam of Zhundong open pit coal mine in Xinjiang, and the different locations of the end gang of the second mining area were divided into multiple sections at certain step sizes and calculated by integration, resulting in stripping ratios for each section, which were fitted to a stripping ratio curve. The optimal location of the mining area boundary was found to be 55 m westward offset from the mining area boundary in the inner row of the raised section, and numerical simulations based on the strength reduction method were applied to analyse the slope stability of the end gang at this location. The results of the study show that the analysed slope meets the stability requirements and the optimised new boundary avoids the stripping of approximately 65,837,376 m3 of economically unreasonable section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the potential molecular mechanism of tetrahydropalmatine (THP) on acute myocardial ischemia (AMI). Methods: First, the target genes of THP and AMI were collected from SymMap Database, Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform, and Swiss Target Prediction, respectively. Then, the overlapping target genes between THP and AMI were evaluated for Grene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis. The binding affinity between the protein and THP was assessed by molecular docking. Finally, the protective effects of THP on AMI model and oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) model of H9C2 cardiomyocyte were explored and the expression levels of target genes were detected by RT-qPCR in vivo and in vitro. Results: MMP9, PPARG, PTGS2, SLC6A4, ESR1, JAK2, GSK3B, NOS2 and AR were recognized as hub genes. The KEGG enrichment analysis results revealed that the potential target genes of THP were involved in the regulation of PPAR and hormone pathways. THP improved the cardiac function, as well as alleviated myocardial cell damage. Furthermore, THP significantly decreased the RNA expression levels of MMP9, PTGS2, SLC6A4, GSK3B and ESR1 (P<0.05, P<0.01) after AMI. In vitro, THP significantly increased H9C2 cardiomyocyte viability (P<0.05, P<0.01) and inhibited the RNA expression levels of PPARG, ESR1 and AR (P<0.05, P<0.01) in OGD model. Conclusions: THP could improve cardiac function and alleviate myocardial injury in AMI. The underlying mechanism may be inhibition of inflammation, the improvement of energy metabolism and the regulation of hormones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most malignant tumors worldwide. Thus, it is necessary to explore the underlying mechanisms of GC progression and develop novel therapeutic regimens. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be abnormally expressed and regulate the malignant behaviors of cancer cells. Our previous research demonstrated that lncRNA colon cancer-associated transcript 2 (CCAT2) has potential value for GC diagnosis and discrimination. However, the functional mechanisms of lncRNA CCAT2 in GC development remain to be explored. Methods: GC and normal adjacent tissues were collected to detect the expression of lncRNA CCAT2, ESRP1 and CD44 in clinical specimens and their clinical significance for GC patients. Cell counting kit-8, wound healing and transwell assays were conducted to investigate the malignant behaviors in vitro. The generation of nude mouse xenografts by subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and tail vein injection was performed to examine GC growth and metastasis in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation, RNA-binding protein pull-down assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed to reveal the binding relationships between ESRP1 and CD44. Results: In the present study, lncRNA CCAT2 was overexpressed in GC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues and correlated with short survival time of patients. lncRNA CCAT2 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells. Its overexpression modulates alternative splicing of Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) variants and facilitates the conversion from the standard form to variable CD44 isoform 6 (CD44v6). Mechanistically, lncRNA CCAT2 upregulated CD44v6 expression by binding to epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1), which subsequently mediates CD44 alternative splicing. The oncogenic role of the lncRNA CCAT2/ESRP1/CD44 axis in the promotion of malignant behaviors was verified by both in vivo and in vitro experiments. Conclusions: Our findings identified a novel mechanism by which lncRNA CCAT2, as a type of protein-binding RNA, regulates alternative splicing of CD44 and promotes GC progression. This axis may become an effective target for clinical diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important link in the complex system engineering project of open pit mining, the quality of the boundary determines the performance of the project to a large extent. However, changes in economic indicators may raise doubts about the optimality of mining boundaries. In this article, a coal price time series forecasting model that considers some amount of redundancy is proposed, which combines an improved sparrow search algorithm (ISSA) and a least squares support vector regression machine regression (LSSVR) algorithm. The optimal values of the penalty factor and kernel function parameter of the LSSVR model are selected by ISSA, which improves the prediction accuracy and generalization performance of the forecasting model. A multistep decision optimization method under fluctuating coal price conditions is proposed, and the model prediction results are applied to the boundary optimization design process. Using the widely applied block model as the basis, a set of optimal production nested pits is obtained, allowing the realm design results to fit the coal price fluctuation trend and further enhance enterprise efficiency. The applicability and effectiveness of this method were verified by taking an ideal two-dimensional model and an inclined coal seam open-pit coal mine in Xinjiang as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atrazine toxicity is one of the limiting factors inhibiting sensitive plant growth. Previous studies showed that atrazine-degrading bacteria could alleviate atrazine toxicity. However, there is limited information on how atrazine-degrading bacteria and plant growth-promote bacteria alleviate atrazine toxicity in soybeans. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the atrazine removal, phosphorus utilization, and the oxidative stress alleviation of atrazine-degrading bacterium Arthrobacter sp. DNS10 and/or inorganic phosphorus-solubilizing bacterium Enterobacter sp. P1 in the reduction of atrazine toxicity in soybean. The results showed that atrazine exposure to soybean seedlings led to significant inhibition in growth, atrazine removal, and phosphorus utilization. However, the co-inoculatied strains significantly increased seedlings biomass, chlorophyll a/b contents, and total phosphorus in leaves accompanied by great reduction of the atrazine-induced antioxidant enzymes activities and malonaldehyde (MDA) contents, as well as atrazine contents in soil and soybeans under atrazine stress. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis highlighted that co-inoculated strains increased the expression levels of genes related to photosynthetic-antenna proteins, carbohydrate metabolism, and fatty acid degradation in leaves. All the results suggest that the co-inoculation mitigates atrazine-induced oxidative stress on soybean by accelerating atrazine removal from soil and phosphorus accumulation in leaves, enhancing the chlorophyll contents, and regulating plant transcriptome. It may be suggested that co-inoculation of atrazine-degrading bacteria and inorganic phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria can be used as a potential method to alleviate atrazine toxicity to the sensitive crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the structural features and antioxidant activity in vitro of horse bone marrow protein (HBMP) hydrolysate based on the activity-originated approach. Antioxidant peptides were isolated from the HBMP with different enzymes. Then, the structural features of the obtained peptide were characterized by extensive chemical, spectroscopic, and chromatographic methods. Antioxidative properties were evaluated through the determination of free radicals scavenging activity. The results showed that alcalase was determined to be the most effective for the generation of antioxidant peptides, and the highest degree of hydrolysis (39.89%) and free radical scavenging activity (55.73%) were obtained under the condition of enzyme concentration 0.9%, pH 9.5, temperature 50℃, solid-liquid ratio 1:16 g/mL through optimized by response surface methodology. HBMP and its hydrolysates were rich in beneficial amino acids. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Circular dichroism (CD) revealed key functional structures of obtained peptides whereas Scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) exhibited its characteristic morphology and elemental composition. The molecular weight distribution of the HBMP alcalase hydrolysate was 2189.014-11561.368 Da determined by Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis. The antioxidant activity test showed that enzymatic hydrolysis can significantly enhance the activity of the HBMP (P < 0.05). The results indicated that HBMP exhibited significant antioxidant activity in vitro, supporting the potential application of HBMP as antioxidants in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the research on goaf at home and abroad mainly focuses on four aspects: detection technology, stability evaluation technology, governance technology and quality control technology. The most important of the above four aspects is goaf detection technology. In order to ensure the accuracy and precision of exploration, many geophysical methods and high-density geological drilling are usually used for exploration. In case of complex terrain, this method will increase the workload rapidly, and can not achieve a good balance between exploration cost and exploration quality. Goaf exploration methods are still in the development stage, and each geophysical exploration method has its limitations. This study makes full use of the existing detection technology to detect the complex mined-out area of East Open-pit Mine, 9 inferred mined-out areas and 9 suspected mined-out areas were found by using 3D seismic exploration method, transient electromagnetic method is used to delineate 223 abnormal areas at different elevations within the exploration range. 58 drilling holes are arranged in the suspected mined-out area of East Open-pit Mine. Combined with geological software, 3D model map of mined-out area is drawn, and the causes of formation of mined-out area are classified and analyzed. Using 3D laser scanning technology to study the visualization of hidden mined-out areas, the hidden mined-out areas are divided into three types through visualization research, and its formation mechanism is analyzed. It can be applied to detection of open-pit mines which have small underground coal mines and many mined-out areas with complex geometric shapes and has great significance to the proposal of stability treatment scheme of mined-out area. The novelty of this study is prove the area, shape, roof thickness and height of the mined-out area by using joint detection method and the hidden mined-out area is visualized by 3D laser scanning technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain technology is an undeniable ledger technology that stores transactions in high-security chains of blocks. Blockchain can solve security and privacy issues in a variety of domains. With the rapid development of smart environments and complicated contracts between users and intelligent devices, federated learning (FL) is a new paradigm to improve accuracy and precision factors of data mining by supporting information privacy and security. Much sensitive information such as patient health records, safety industrial information, and banking personal information in various domains of the Internet of Things (IoT) including smart city, smart healthcare, and smart industry should be collected and gathered to train and test with high potential privacy and secured manner. Using blockchain technology to the adaption of intelligent learning can influence maintaining and sustaining information security and privacy. Finally, blockchain-based FL mechanisms are very hot topics and cut of scientific edge in data science and artificial intelligence. This research proposes a systematic study on the discussion of privacy and security in the field of blockchain-based FL methodologies on the scientific databases to provide an objective road map of the status of this issue. According to the analytical results of this research, blockchain-based FL has been grown significantly during these 5 years and blockchain technology has been used more to solve problems related to patient healthcare records, image retrieval, cancer datasets, industrial equipment, and economical information in the field of IoT applications and smart environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual dysfunction (SD) is prevalent in patients with mental health disorders and can significantly impair their quality of life. Early recognition of SD in a clinical setting may help patients and clinicians to optimize treatment options of SD and/or other primary diagnoses taking SD risk into account and may facilitate treatment compliance. SD identification is often overlooked in clinical practice; we seek to explore whether patients with a high risk of SD can be identified at the individual level by assessing known risk factors via a machine learning (ML) model. We assessed 135 subjects referred to a tertiary mental health clinic in a Western Canadian city using health records data, including age, sex, physician's diagnoses, drug treatment, and the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX). A ML model was fitted to the data, with SD status derived from the ASEX as target outcomes and all other variables as predicting variables. Our ML model was able to identify individual SD cases—achieving a balanced accuracy of 0.736, with a sensitivity of 0.750 and a specificity of 0.721—and identified major depressive disorder and female sex as risk factors, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a potential protective factor. This study highlights the utility of SD screening in a psychiatric clinical setting, demonstrating a proof-of-concept ML approach for SD screening in psychiatric patients, which has marked potential to improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Casein serves as a protein extract from cow milk and its products; it is an available and cheap natural polymer material. Casein-based hydrogels have been extensively used in drug delivery systems due to their good biocompatibility and fast degradation. Although chemical crosslinking agents have been used for crosslinking of casein hydrogels, it is also associated with adverse effects and potential biotoxicity. In this work, casein was modified with methacrylic anhydride (MA). The functionalized casein (CaseinMA) possessed the ability to form hydrogels under 365 nm UV light in water solution without using toxic agents. Alginate was (0.4%, 0.8%, and 1.2%) found to successfully adjust the mechanical performance of CaseinMA hydrogels. The swelling property and degradation behavior indicated that the composite hydrogels had excellent water holding ability and degradability. MTT assay and hemolytic test demonstrated that CaseinMA/Alg hydrogels containing photoinitiator (Irgacure 2959) had good biocompatibility. At last, CaseinMA/Alg microspheres loaded with metformin hydrochloride (MET) were fabricated by using electrostatic droplet technology. The CaseinMA/Alg microspheres had a pH-sensitive property and slow sustained release as compared to mono-component microspheres in drug releasing test. CaseinMA/Alg hydrogels were confirmed that had good biocompatibility and mechanical properties; it is expected to be applied in many fields such as drug delivery system and wound management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annual mass balance is an important factor that reflects glacier change and glacier meltwater resources. In this study, we analyzed the changes in glacier area, snow line altitude (SLA) and surface elevation in the Ányêmaqên Mountain region using multisource remote sensing data. Then, the annual mass balance of two glaciers was reconstructed by using SLA-mass-balance gradient method. The results showed that the glacier area in the Ányêmaqên Mountains decreased by 29.4 km2 from 1985 to 2017. The average SLAs of the Halong Glacier and Yehelong Glacier were approximately 5290 m and 5188 m, respectively. The glacier mass balance for the two glaciers from 1990 to 2020 was — 0.71 m w.e. a−1 and −0.63 m w.e. a−1, respectively. Our results indicate that SLA is an important indicator of glacier changes, and a long sequence of SLAs can more accurately reconstruct the glacier mass balance of the glacier. The mean annual glacial meltwater-fed streamflow is 1.45 × 107 m3 and 1.12 × 107 m3, respectively. Sensitivity analysis indicates that summer air temperature plays a leading role in regard to the influential climatic factors of glacial retreat in the Anyêmaqên Mountains. This highlights the potential of the methodology for application on reconstructing annual glacier surface mass balance at larger scales without direct measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,2-Dioxetane is a well-known chemiluminescent mechanophore allowing real-time monitoring of polymer chain scission, but usually suffers from fluorescence quenching in polar environments. Herein, a series of mechanochemiluminescent waterborne polyurethanes/carbon dots composites (WPU-CDs) have been synthesized by incorporating fluorescent CDs to promote the energy transfer process in different environments. The resulting bulk WPUs, and in particular, their swollen films filled with a large amount of polar solvents (water and ionic liquid) emit intense mechanochemiluminescence. Thus force-induced covalent bond scission and stress distribution within these different WPU-CDs films can be sensitively visualized. Furthermore, the ionic liquid containing films exhibited both electrical and luminescent signal changes under stretching, which offer a new kind of force sensor responsive at a broad detecting strain range and for multi-mode strain analysis. This study is expected to stimulate new research endeavors in mechanistic insight on waterborne polyurethanes and the corresponding stretchable sensing devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prominent cognitive aspect of anxiety is dysregulation of emotional interpretation of facial expressions, associated with neural activity from the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. We report machine learning analysis of fMRI results supporting a key role for a third area, the temporal pole (TP) for childhood anxiety in this context. This finding is based on differential fMRI responses to emotional faces (angry versus fearful faces) in children with one or more of generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, and social phobia (n = 22) compared with matched controls (n = 23). In our machine learning (Adaptive Boosting) model, the right TP distinguished anxious from control children (accuracy = 81%). Involvement of the TP as significant for neurocognitive aspects of pediatric anxiety is a novel finding worthy of further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current next-generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) methods do not provide accurate quantification of small RNAs within a sample, due to sequence-dependent biases in capture, ligation and amplification during library preparation. We present a method, absolute quantification RNA-sequencing (AQRNA-seq), that minimizes biases and provides a direct, linear correlation between sequencing read count and copy number for all small RNAs in a sample. Library preparation and data processing were optimized and validated using a 963-member microRNA reference library, oligonucleotide standards of varying length, and RNA blots. Application of AQRNA-seq to a panel of human cancer cells revealed >800 detectable miRNAs that varied during cancer progression, while application to bacterial transfer RNA pools, with the challenges of secondary structure and abundant modifications, revealed 80-fold variation in tRNA isoacceptor levels, stress-induced site-specific tRNA fragmentation, quantitative modification maps, and evidence for stress-induced, tRNA-driven, codon-biased translation. AQRNA-seq thus provides a versatile means to quantitatively map the small RNA landscape in cells. AQRNA-seq allows accurate quantification of small RNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of innovative technologies for pumping commercial heavy oils is currently focused on the use of low-energy impact methods. The paper presents the results of research into the process of structure formation in heavy oil after hybrid microwave exposure. The research was carried out on the basis of the activation flow theory and rheological studies of heavy oil samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past studies, it has been discovered that the shape memory effect (SME) in the Fe-Mn-Si shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) can gradually be enhanced by a pre-process called as shape memory training process under cyclic thermo-mechanical loading. On the other hand, it has been shown that the SME of Fe-SMA can also be affected by changing the strain rate. Therefore, it is possible to improve the SME by combining the strain rate sensitivity and shape memory training process. However, the improvement of SME caused by the training process under impact condition is still unclear. For the training process under impact condition, it is difficult to interrupt the test at the desired strain level due to many reflections of stress waves, which reload the specimen from the free ends. In this paper, to obtain reliable experimental results of SME after the training process under impact condition, the stress waves after first loading are eliminated by the double momentum-trap structure introduced into the impact tensile testing apparatus based on the split Hopkinson pressure bar method. In order to achieve an optimum design of the structure used in experiments, the finite element simulation of the structure is performed. Then, tensile tests in the training process of Fe-28Mn-6Si-5Cr alloy at different strain rates including the impact level are conducted and temperature change of the specimen is measured during training and heating process. As a result, the improvement of SME in the alloy after the training process under quasi-static and impact loading is compared with that under quasi-static loading through verification processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dominated by an arid and semiarid continental climate, the Beijing-Tianjin Sandstorm Source Region (BTSSR) is a typical ecologically fragile region with frequently occurring droughts. To provide information for regional vegetation protection and drought prevention, we assessed the relations between vegetation cover change (measured by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) at different time-scales, in different growth stages, in different subregions and for different vegetation types based on the Pearson's correlation coefficient in the BTSSR from 2000 to 2017. Results showed that 88.19% of the vegetated areas experienced increased NDVI in the growing season; 48.3% of the vegetated areas experienced significantly increased NDVI (P < 0.05) and were mainly in the south of the BTSSR. During the growing season, a wetter climate contributed to the increased vegetation cover from 2000 to 2017, and NDVI anomalies were closely related to SPEI. The maximum correlation coefficient in the growing season (Rmax) was significantly positive (P < 0.05) in 97.84% of the total vegetated areas. In the vegetated areas with significantly positive Rmax, pixels with short time-scales (1–3 mon) accounted for the largest proportion (33.9%). The sensitivity of vegetation to the impact of drought rose first and then decreased in the growing season, with a peak in July. Compared with two subregions in the south, subregions in the north of the BTSSR were more sensitive to the impacts of drought variations, especially in the Xilingol Plateau and Wuzhumuqin Basin. All four major vegetation types were sensitive to the effects of drought variations, especially grasslands. The time-scales of the most impacting droughts varied with growth stages, regions, and vegetation types. These results can help us understand the relations between vegetation and droughts, which are important for ecological restoration and drought prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered Co(OH)2 has been regarded as a potential candidate for pseudocapacitor electrode material, but it is limited by its poor conductivity and low surface area. Herein, carbonated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) were used to improve the conductivity of α-Co(OH)2 nanocomposites. α-Co(OH)2 nanoflowers were successfully grown and tangled with MWCNTs-COOH to form a randomly oriented network structure mediated by ammonia using water-methanol as co-solvent at room temperature. The capacitance performances of the obtained α-Co(OH)2@MWCNT-COOH composites were investigated to find that MWCNT-COOH improved the specific capacitance efficiently. Especially, in the presence of 20% in mole of MWCNT-COOH, the composite gave rise to the high specific capacitance of 1027 F/g at the current density of 2 A/g with good cycle stability, whose specific capacitance remained 78% of its original even after 5000 cycles at 30 A/g current. The large surface area and strengthening the conductivity of the composites lead to the improvement of efficiency in charge/discharge process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) have developed rapidly in recent years, because of their advantages, such as small sample volume, rapid detection rates, low cost, and portability. Due to these characteristics, they can be used for in vitro diagnostics in the laboratory, or in the field, for a variety of applications, including food evaluation, disease screening, environmental monitoring, and drug testing. This review will present various detection methods employed by μPADs and their respective applications for the detection of target analytes. These include colorimetry, electrochemistry, chemiluminescence (CL), electrochemiluminescence (ECL), and fluorescence-based methodologies. At the same time, the choice of labeling material and the design of microfluidic channels are also important for detection results. The construction of novel nanocomponents and different smart structures of paper-based devices have improved the performance of μPADs and we will also highlight some of these in this manuscript. Additionally, some key challenges and future prospects for the use of μPADs are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationally designing and synthesizing nanostructures with increased density of active sites are an effective route to enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of electrocatalysts. In this work, a simple one-step hydrothermal method was used to synthesize cobalt disulfide (CoS2) nanosheets on the stainless-steel fiber (SSF) felt substrate, by which the thickness of CoS2 nanosheets can be sensitively tuned by thiourea concentration in reactant precursors. Especially, the CoS2 nanosheets synthesized under a thiourea concentration of 0.083 M present an ultra-thin thickness of about 10 nm with abundant gaps between the nanosheets. Such morphology with large effective surface area together with superhydrophilic property assures it an effective HER electrode, showing an overpotential of − 290.6 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 74.21 mV dec−1 over other samples synthesized under higher thiourea concentrations. Chronoamperometric test also shows excellent HER durability by the assistance of chemical-stable SSF substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D self-supported integrated electrode, consisting of heteroatomic nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays on carbon cloth with confined ultrafine Co4N nanoparticles and a distribution of anchored single-atom Co, is fabricated via a cobalt-catalyzed growth strategy using dicyandiamide as the nitrogen and carbon source and a layered cobalt hydroxide-nitrate salt as the precursor. The abundance of exposed active sites, namely, the Co4N nanoparticles, single-atom Co, and heteroatomic N-doped carbon nanotubes, and multiple synergistic effects among these components provide suitable tailoring of the d-band center for facilitating vectorial electron transfer and efficient electrocatalysis. Benefiting from the merits of its structural features and electronic configuration, the prepared electrode exhibits robust performance toward the hydrogen evolution reaction with overpotentials of only 78 and 86 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in acidic and basic electrolytes, respectively. Density functional theory calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy valence band measurements reveal that the effective tailoring of the d-band center by Co4N nanoparticles plays a crucial role in optimizing the hydrogen adsorption free energy to a more thermoneutral value for efficient electrocatalysis. Catalysis: A green route to water splitting A carbon-based, environmentally friendly catalyst for enhancing the extraction of hydrogen from water has been synthesized by researchers in China. Separating water into its constituent atoms is a scalable method for producing hydrogen and therefore a source of clean energy. Platinum catalysts can enhance electrochemical splitting, but platinum is rare and expensive. Bo Cao from Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, and co-workers have developed an alternative carbon nanotube-based catalyst that can be fabricated using a "green" process. Carbon nanotubes have been used previously, often in a powder form, from which it is difficult to make the electrodes required in practical applications. The researchers created three-dimensional electrodes on carbon cloth using arrays of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes containing cobalt nitride nanoparticles, and confirmed the excellent electrocatalytic properties of the material. A novel 3D self-supported integrated electrode of Co4N@CoSA/N-CNT/CC is designed for admirable HER electrocatalysis. Experiment and theory studies reveal that the suitable d-band center and electron-charge transfer optimized by Co4N nanoparticles and single-atom Co in the electrocatalyst contribute to an excellent performance. This electrode requires overpotentials of only 78 and 86 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in acidic and basic electrolytes, respectively. Notably, Co4N@CoSA/N-CNT/CC also exhibits superior long-term stability in acidic and alkaline medium, the decrease in current density after continuous electrocatalysis for 50 h are only 5% and 11%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D self-supported integrated electrode, consisting of heteroatomic nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays on carbon cloth with confined ultrafine Co4N nanoparticles and a distribution of anchored single-atom Co, is fabricated via a cobalt-catalyzed growth strategy using dicyandiamide as the nitrogen and carbon source and a layered cobalt hydroxide-nitrate salt as the precursor. The abundance of exposed active sites, namely, the Co4N nanoparticles, single-atom Co, and heteroatomic N-doped carbon nanotubes, and multiple synergistic effects among these components provide suitable tailoring of the d-band center for facilitating vectorial electron transfer and efficient electrocatalysis. Benefiting from the merits of its structural features and electronic configuration, the prepared electrode exhibits robust performance toward the hydrogen evolution reaction with overpotentials of only 78 and 86 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in acidic and basic electrolytes, respectively. Density functional theory calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy valence band measurements reveal that the effective tailoring of the d-band center by Co4N nanoparticles plays a crucial role in optimizing the hydrogen adsorption free energy to a more thermoneutral value for efficient electrocatalysis. Catalysis: A green route to water splitting A carbon-based, environmentally friendly catalyst for enhancing the extraction of hydrogen from water has been synthesized by researchers in China. Separating water into its constituent atoms is a scalable method for producing hydrogen and therefore a source of clean energy. Platinum catalysts can enhance electrochemical splitting, but platinum is rare and expensive. Bo Cao from Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, and co-workers have developed an alternative carbon nanotube-based catalyst that can be fabricated using a "green" process. Carbon nanotubes have been used previously, often in a powder form, from which it is difficult to make the electrodes required in practical applications. The researchers created three-dimensional electrodes on carbon cloth using arrays of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes containing cobalt nitride nanoparticles, and confirmed the excellent electrocatalytic properties of the material. A novel 3D self-supported integrated electrode of Co4N@CoSA/N-CNT/CC is designed for admirable HER electrocatalysis. Experiment and theory studies reveal that the suitable d-band center and electron-charge transfer optimized by Co4N nanoparticles and single-atom Co in the electrocatalyst contribute to an excellent performance. This electrode requires overpotentials of only 78 and 86 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in acidic and basic electrolytes, respectively. Notably, Co4N@CoSA/N-CNT/CC also exhibits superior long-term stability in acidic and alkaline medium, the decrease in current density after continuous electrocatalysis for 50 h are only 5% and 11%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was designed to develop a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) to diagnose patients with pituitary tumors. Methods: We included adult patients clinically diagnosed with pituitary adenoma (pituitary adenoma group), or adult individuals without pituitary adenoma (control group). After pre-processing, all the MRI data were randomly divided into training or testing datasets in a ratio of 8:2 to create or evaluate the CNN model. Multiple CNNs with the same structure were applied for different types of MR images respectively, and a comprehensive diagnosis was performed based on the classification results of different types of MR images using an equal-weighted majority voting strategy. Finally, we assessed the diagnostic performance of the CAD system by accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and F1 score. Results: We enrolled 149 participants with 796 MR images and adopted the data augmentation technology to create 7960 new images. The proposed CAD method showed remarkable diagnostic performance with an overall accuracy of 91.02%, sensitivity of 92.27%, specificity of 75.70%, positive predictive value of 93.45%, and F1-score of 92.67% in separate MRI type. In the comprehensive diagnosis, the CAD achieved better performance with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 96.97%, 94.44%, and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: The CAD system could accurately diagnose patients with pituitary tumors based on MR images. Further, we will improve this CAD system by augmenting the amount of dataset and evaluate its performance by external dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we sought to investigate whether T-type Ca2+ channels (TCCs) in the brain are involved in generating post-anesthetic hyperexcitatory behaviors (PAHBs). We found that younger rat pups (postnatal days 9–11) had a higher incidence of PAHBs and higher PAHB scores than older pups (postnatal days 16–18) during emergence from sevoflurane anesthesia. The power spectrum of the theta oscillations (4 Hz–8 Hz) in the prefrontal cortex was significantly enhanced in younger pups when PAHBs occurred, while there were no significant changes in older pups. Both the power of theta oscillations and the level of PAHBs were significantly reduced by the administration of TCC inhibitors. Moreover, the sensitivity of TCCs in the medial dorsal thalamic nucleus to sevoflurane was found to increase with age by investigating the kinetic properties of TCCs in vitro. TCCs were activated by potentiated GABAergic depolarization with a sub-anesthetic dose of sevoflurane (1%). These data suggest that (1) TCCs in the brain contribute to the generation of PAHBs and the concomitant electroencephalographic changes; (2) the stronger inhibitory effect of sevoflurane contributes to the lack of PAHBs in older rats; and (3) the contribution of TCCs to PAHBs is not mediated by a direct effect of sevoflurane on TCCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based immunoassays are effective methods that employ microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) for the rapid, simple, and accurate quantification of analytes in point-of-care diagnosis. In this study, we developed a wax-printed multilayered μPAD for the colorimetric detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), where the device contained a movable and rotatable detection layer to allow the μPAD to switch the state of the sample solutions, i.e., flowing or storing in the sensing zones. A smartphone with a custom-developed program served as an automated colorimetric reader to capture and analyze images from the μPAD, before calculating and displaying the test results. After optimizing the crucial conditions for the assay, the proposed method exhibited a wide linear dynamic range from 0.5 to 70 ng/mL, with a low CEA detection limit of 0.015 ng/mL. The clinical performance of this method was successfully validated using 50 positive and 40 negative human serum samples, thereby demonstrating the high sensitivity of 98.0% and specificity of 97.5% in the detection of CEA. The proposed method is greatly simplified compared with the cumbersome steps required for traditional immunoassays, but without any loss of accuracy and stability, as well as reducing the time needed to detect CEA. Complex and bulky instruments are replaced with a smartphone. The proposed detection platform could potentially be applied in point-of-care testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The bio-mitigation of acetochlor and improvement of fertility in soil using Rhodopseudomonas capsulata (R. capsulata) in effluent was investigated in this research. Materials and methods: Acetochlor content and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity were tested using the HPLC method. EthB gene regulation was measured by RT-PCR. Results and discussion: It was observed that acetochlor was not degraded under the control group. The addition of effluent containing R. capsulata and residual organics degraded acetochlor efficiently and re-mediated soil fertility. Acetochlor mitigation reached 100% after 5 days under the optimal group (2000 mg/L). Interestingly, the acetochlor began to be degraded after day 1 of inoculation. Further research indicated that EthB gene was expressed after the first day of inoculation. Subsequently, the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase was synthesized to degrade acetochlor under EthB gene regulation. Analysis revealed that EthB and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase were inducible gene expressions and enzyme. The acetochlor as stimulus signal induced EthB expression through signal transduction pathway. This process took 1 day for R. capsulata, as they were ancient bacteria. However, the organics in soil and the control group were deficient, which could not maintain R. capsulata growth for over 1 day. The residual organics in effluent provided sufficient carbon sources and energy for R. capsulata under four effluent groups. Conclusions: The new method completed the remediation of acetochlor pollution and the improvement of soil fertility and soybean processing wastewater treatment simultaneously, as well as realizing the resource reutilization of wastewater and R. capsulata as sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic activities of three topotactic phase strontium cobaltites (SCO, hexagonal, orthorhombic and tetragonal) for H2O2 decomposition were studied. All they present excellent catalytic activity with good stability at cycled test, and the mesoporous tetragonal SCO exhibits the best activity. Detailed kinetic research indicates the zero-order process of H2O2 decomposition. Increasing the temperature will accelerate the reactions greatly with the controlled temperature in the range of 20-45 °C. The calculated active energy (Ea) for H-SCO, O-SCO and T-SCO is 93.2, 85.1 and 87.5 (kJ/mol), respectively. The efficient catalytic degradation of Rhodamine B illustrates that SCO is a kind of promising catalysis for the advanced oxidation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qilian Orogen in the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is the northernmost of the Tethyan domain. Abundant ophiolites record the closure of an early Tethyan ocean and amalgamations between micro-continents of North China, Qaidam, and Tarim. The Muli arc–ophiolite complex in the western segment of the South Qilian belt represents remnants of the Proto-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere. It comprises serpentinite, dunite, cumulate gabbro, basalt, plagiogranite, and chert, which are in tectonic contact with Upper Ordovician turbidites. Basalts have typical subduction-related calc-alkaline geochemical affinity, representing portions of an island arc. Geochemical results for plagiogranites and spinels from serpentinite indicate that the Muli arc–ophiolite complex represents a super-subduction zone (SSZ)-type ophiolite. U–Pb zircon data indicate formation associated with southward subduction of the Proto-Tethys Ocean during a short interval between 539 and 522 Ma. Results of petrology, geochemistry, and zircon U–Pb dating demonstrate that granitoids intruded into this complex are Middle to Late Ordovician (470–450 Ma) products of subduction-related arc magmatism. Voluminous Late Ordovician–Early Silurian rocks include deep-water marine siliciclastic and volcaniclastic turbidites and abundant volcanic arc rocks located to the south of the Muli arc–ophiolite complex, whereas fluvial coarse-grained sandstones and conglomerates unconformably overlie the Cambrian–Middle Ordovician ophiolite–arc systems in the eastern South Qilian belt. This indicates that closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean was diachronous during the early Paleozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a central molecule involved in mediating cellular processes. Alterations of HIF-1α and hypoxically regulated microRNAs (miRNAs) are correlated with patients' outcome in various cancers, indicating their crucial roles on cancer development. Recently, an increasing number of studies have revealed the intricate regulations between miRNAs and HIF-1α in modulating a wide variety of processes, including proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, and drug resistance, etc. miRNAs are a class of small noncoding RNAs which function as negative regulators by directly targeting mRNAs. Evidence shows that miRNAs can be regulated by HIF-1α at transcriptional level. In turn, HIF-1α itself can be modulated by many miRNAs whose alterations have been implicated in tumorigenesis, thus forming a reciprocal regulation network. These findings add a new layer of complexity to our understanding of HIF-1α regulatory networks. Here, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the current advances about the bidirectional interactions between HIF-1α and miRNAs in human cancers. Besides, the review will summarize the roles of miRNAs/HIF-1α crosstalk according to various cellular processes. Finally, the potential values of miRNAs/HIF-1α loops in clinical applications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A Fe-promoted Pt-Fe/Al2O3 catalyst was prepared by water/oil microemulsion. The physicochemical properties of the Pt/Al2O3 and Pt-Fe/Al2O3 catalyst were characterized by TEM, SAED, XRD, XPS, BET, ICP, and CO-chemisorption. The introduction of Fe could promote the formation of a catalytic active center Pt, enhance electron enrichment of Pt, and improve the degree of Pt dispersion. The effect of Fe on the catalytic performance of the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst was investigated by the liquid-phase hydrogenation of m-chloronitrobenzene to m-chloroaniline. The Fe-promoted Pt-Fe/Al2O3 catalyst was extremely active and more selective than the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst (conversion from 57.7 to 96.3%, selectivity from 98.5 to 99.2%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective treatments for major depression disorder (MDD). ECT can induce neurogenesis and synaptogenesis in hippocampus, which contains distinct subfields, e.g., the cornu ammonis (CA) subfields, a granule cell layer (GCL), a molecular layer (ML), and the subiculum. It is unclear which subfields are affected by ECT and whether we predict the future treatment response to ECT by using volumetric information of hippocampal subfields at baseline? In this study, 24 patients with severe MDD received the ECT and their structural brain images were acquired with magnetic resonance imaging before and after ECT. A state-of-the-art hippocampal segmentation algorithm from Freesurfer 6.0 was used. We found that ECT induced volume increases in CA subfields, GCL, ML and subiculum. We applied a machine learning algorithm to the hippocampal subfield volumes at baseline and were able to predict the change in depressive symptoms (r = 0.81; within remitters, r = 0.93). Receiver operating characteristic analysis also showed robust prediction of remission with an area under the curve of 0.90. Our findings provide evidence for particular hippocampal subfields having specific roles in the response to ECT. We also provide an analytic approach for generating predictions about clinical outcomes for ECT in MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increases the risk of brain atrophy and dementia. We aimed to elucidate deep grey matter (GM) structural abnormalities and their relationships with T2DM cognitive deficits by combining region of interest (ROI)-based volumetry, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and shape analysis.Methods: We recruited 23 T2DM patients and 24 age-matched healthy controls to undergo T1-weighted structural MRI scanning. Images were analysed using the three aforementioned methods to obtain deep GM structural shapes and volumes. Biochemical and cognitive assessments were made and were correlated with the resulting metrics.Results: Shape analysis revealed that T2DM is associated with focal atrophy in the bilateral caudate head and dorso-medial part of the thalamus. ROI-based volumetry only detected thalamic volume reduction in T2DM when compared to the controls. No significant between-group differences were found by VBM. Furthermore, a worse performance of cognitive processing speed correlated with more severe GM atrophy in the bilateral dorso-medial part of the thalamus. Also, the GM volume in the bilateral dorso-medial part of the thalamus changed negatively with HbA1c.Conclusions: Shape analysis is sensitive in identifying T2DM deep GM structural abnormalities and their relationships with cognitive impairments, which may greatly assist in clarifying the neural substrate of T2DM cognitive dysfunction.Key Points: • Type 2 diabetes mellitus is accompanied with brain atrophy and cognitive dysfunction • Deep grey matter structures are essential for multiple cognitive processes • Shape analysis revealed local atrophy in the dorso-medial thalamus and caudatum in patients • Dorso-medial thalamic atrophy correlated to cognitive processing speed slowing and high HbA1c. • Shape analysis has advantages in unraveling neural substrates of diabetic cognitive deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass balance is a key indicator of the sensitivity of glaciers to climate change. Field measurement is one of the most important ways to study the mass balance of glaciers. Based on observations of mass balance in the ablation zone of Shuiguan Glacier No.4, Qilian Mountains, China, combined with the balance ratio between accumulation and ablation, we established a linear relation between mass balance and altitude. The results show that the mean annual mass balance of this glacier was ~510 mm w.e. from 2010 to 2013. The uncertainty in the balance ratio value does not lead to a significant difference in the mass balance. The equilibrium-line altitude rose by 180 m from 1972 to 2013, while the accumulation-area ratio decreased from 0.68 to 0.25. These variations may be caused by changes in air temperature. Meanwhile, the glacier is at present not in a steady state, and it may continue to shrink by a further ~900 m, even without further climate warming. In the western Lenglongling Mountains, assuming that the glaciers are in a steady state and the Equilibrium-line altitudes (ELAs) remain similar, there will be only 46 glaciers left, covering a total area of 19.2 km, in other words, only 22.3% of the glaciers area in 1972. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]