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Abstract Many fundamental questions on aging are still unanswered or are under intense debate. These questions are frequently not addressable by examining a single gene or a single pathway, but can best be addressed at the systems level. Here we examined the modular structure of the protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks during fruitfly and human brain aging. In both networks, there are two modules associated with the cellular proliferation to differentiation temporal switch that display opposite aging‐related changes in expression. During fly aging, another couple of modules are associated with the oxidative–reductive metabolic temporal switch. These network modules and their relationships demonstrate (1) that aging is largely associated with a small number, instead of many network modules, (2) that some modular changes might be reversible and (3) that genes connecting different modules through PPIs are more likely to affect aging/longevity, a conclusion that is experimentally validated by Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan analysis. Network simulations further suggest that aging might preferentially attack key regulatory nodes that are important for the network stability, implicating a potential molecular basis for the stochastic nature of aging.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the hallmarks in the pathophysiology of prion disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Various metabolic dysfunctions are identified and considered to contribute to the progression of some types of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we evaluated the status of glycolysis pathway in prion-infected rodent and cell models. The levels of the key enzymes, hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and pyruvate kinase (PK) were significantly increased, accompanying with markedly downregulated mitochondrial complexes. Double-stained IFAs revealed that the increased HK2 and PFK distributed widely in GFAP-, Iba1-, and NeuN-positive cells. We also identified increased levels of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the downstream signaling. Changes of AMPK activity in prion-infected cells by the AMPK-specific inhibitor or activator induced the corresponding alterations not only in the downstream signaling, but also the expressions of three key kinases in glycolysis pathway and the mitochondrial complexes. Transient removal or complete clearance of prion propagation in the prion-infected cells partially but significantly reversed the increases of the key enzymes in glycolysis, the upregulation of AMPK signaling pathway, and the decreases of the mitochondrial complexes. Measurements of the cellular oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) showed lower OCR and higher ECAR in prion-infected cell line, which were sufficiently reversed by clearance of prion propagation. Those data indicate a metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis in the brains during the progression of prion disease. Accumulation of PrPSc is critical for the switch to glycolysis, largely via activating AMPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of alkali metals in flue gas can lead to catalyst poisoning, which can significantly impact the de-NOx efficiency of the catalyst. There is a lack of specific studies on the influence of potassium (K) poisoning on the efficiency of γ-Fe2O3. In this study, the mechanism of K poisoning on the γ-Fe2O3 surface was studied based on DFT, and the influence of K on molecular adsorption and SCR reaction process was analyzed. The results show that the K2O and KCl provide O, K, and Cl ions when deposited on the catalyst surface. The adsorption and dehydrogenation processes of NH3 were enhanced to varying degrees near the O and Cl iron sites, but the subsequent generation and decomposition of NH2NO were inhibited. On the sites near K cations, the adsorption, dehydrogenation, and subsequent SCR reaction processes of NH3 are hindered, and the adverse effects on the reaction are greater on the Fe sites closer to K. As well as the presence of K can to some extent promote the adsorption of NO and O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D (3L and 5L) and SF-6Dv2 in a group of Chinese patients with late-on Pompe disease (PD), and compare their performance in this patient group. Methods: The data used in this study were obtained from a web-based and cross-sectional survey conducted in China. All participants completed the 3L, 5L, and SF-6Dv2. Information about their sociodemographic status and health conditions was also collected. The measurement properties were assessed by examining ceiling and floor effects, evaluating convergent validity, known-group validity, and test–retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] and Gwet's AC). Results: A total of 117 PD patients completed the questionnaire. All dimensions of the 3L showed strong ceiling effects, ranging between 17.1 and 42.7%. All three measures showed good test–retest reliability, with ICC values ranging from 0.85 to 0.87. The Gwet's AC values showed that four out of five dimensions of the 3L showed very good agreement. All hypothesized correlations between the 3L, 5L, SF-6Dv2, and items of WHODAS were supported, indicating satisfactory convergent validity. The 5L showed stronger correlations (|r|= 0.53–0.84) with WHODAS than the other two measures. The outcomes of ANOVA indicated that the 5L had higher F-statistics than the 3L and SF-6Dv2, indicating a stronger discriminant ability to differentiate most condition groups. Conclusion: The 5L demonstrates lower ceiling and floor effects, higher discriminant ability, and better convergent validity than the SF-6Dv2 and 3L in patients with PD. In addition, the 5L may generate a larger utility gain compared to the other two instruments when conducting cost-effectiveness analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing funnel control methods for nonlinear MIMO systems have a critical limitation: the initial tracking error must be within the funnel region to ensure system stability. This limitation reduces their practical applicability. This paper proposes a novel low-complexity non-smooth funnel control scheme that uses a transition process to decouple the funnel boundary design from the initial conditions, allowing for more flexibility in designing the funnel boundary irrespective of the initial error. The scheme also employs a non-smooth funnel transformation based on the transition error, which effectively reduces the tracking error to a smaller steady-state funnel region. The controller has a simple structure similar to a proportional controller, which makes it computationally efficient and easy to implement. Moreover, the controller incorporates a predefined time-convergent funnel boundary to guarantee that the tracking error converges to the steady-state funnel region within a user-specified time. These enhancements improve the robustness, adaptability, and tracking performance of the control system. The stability of the closed-loop system is rigorously established by Lyapunov theory, and the effectiveness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated by simulations and experiments of a SCARA robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock slopes with weak intercalated layer are prone to slide because of engineering disturbance or water intrusion deterioration, which poses severe threats to human life and property safety. Identifying the water-induced deterioration characteristics of such interfaces, as well as the potential failure mechanism of such slope is of great importance for scientific prevention. The right abutment slope of Gushan Reservoir is composed of thick quartz sandstone and thin argillaceous shale interlayer inclined downstream, dip angle of about 10°. Besides, relief joints with a steep tendency to the valley at the top of the slope were found. Once the shear strength of the shale decreases due to the reservoir impoundment, the slope might slide, threatening the safety of the dam. For this reason, basic data of the slope were presented by field geological and UAV aerial survey. Then, the strength deterioration law of shale induced by water was revealed by large in-situ direct shear tests. Finally, the potential failure mechanism of the slope under different conditions, as well as the feasibility of the proposed reinforcement scheme were analyzed utilizing three-dimensional numerical simulation. The results showed that the shear strength of the saturated shale was about 50% of that under natural state. The stability of the slope would decrease due to the strength deterioration of the weak interlayer, and the sliding along the weak layer might occur, resulting in local deformation at the right end of the dam. Concrete plugs to be arranged along the potential sliding surface was an effective reinforcement measure for such slope. These results might provide a reference for the stability evaluation and reinforcement design of similar slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aims to explore the effects of tacrolimus on proteinuria in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) and recommend an appropriate dosage schedule via machine learning method. Methods: The Emax model was constructed to analyze the effects of tacrolimus on proteinuria in patients with IMN. Data were mined from published literature and machine learning was built up with Emax model, among which the efficacy indicator was proteinuria change rates from baseline. 463 IMN patients were included for modeling, and tacrolimus therapeutic window concentrations were 4–10 ng/ml. Results: In machine learning model, the Emax from tacrolimus effecting proteinuria in IMN patients was −72.7%, the ET50 was 0.43 months, and the time to achieving 25% Emax, 50% Emax, 75% Emax, and 80% (plateau) Emax of tacrolimus on proteinuria in patients with IMN were 0.15, 0.43, 1.29, and 1.72 months, respectively. Conclusion: For achieving better therapeutic effects from tacrolimus on proteinuria in patients with IMN, tacrolimus concentration range need to be maintained at 4–10 ng/ml for at least 1.72 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous indoor humidity control is gaining more and more attention but is limited by the trade-offs among pore volume, pore size and water stability of water adsorbents. We solve this problem by using a unique coordination network topology combined with hydrolytically stable M(III) carboxylate clusters. By extending the ligand length from 9.0 to 11.2 and 13.7 Å, the pore volume significantly increases from 0.99 to 1.40 and 1.78 cm3 g−1, which proportionally increases the saturated water adsorption capacity. Meanwhile, the pore size slightly increases from 10.4 to 11.0 and 13.5 Å, which restricts the isotherm inflection pressure and hysteresis width to meet the requirement of indoor humidity control. Large single-crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction studies were obtained by using Fe(III) salts, while isostructural frameworks with sufficiently high water stabilities were synthesized by using Cr(III) salts, which offer record working capacity of 0.90 and 1.10 g g−1 for indoor humidity control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have emerged as a promising therapeutic option for melanoma, which demonstrating improved clinical outcomes in melanoma patients regardless of specific genetic mutations. However, the identification of reliable biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy response and prognosis remains a challenge. In this study, we performed genetic profiling of the melanoma patients with different subtypes and evaluated the efficacy of ICI treatment. A total of 221 melanoma patients were included in our cohort, consisting primarily of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), and mucosal malignant melanoma (MMM). Genetic analysis revealed BRAF mutations was predominant in CMM and NRAS mutations was prevalent in ALM. Copy number variants (CNVs) and structural variants (SV) were also detected, with CCND1 and CDK4 being the most affected genes in CNV and BRAF, ALK and RAF1 being the druggable targets in SV. Furthermore, NRAS mutations were associated with a poor prognosis in ALM, while TERT mutations were linked to unfavorable outcomes in CMM after receiving PD-1 therapy. Additionally, ALK expression exhibited improved outcomes in both ALM and CMM subtypes. Our study provides a comprehensive genomic and pathological profiling of Chinese melanoma patients, shedding light on the molecular landscape of the disease. Furthermore, numbers of gene mutations and ALK expression were identified as prognostic indicators. These findings contribute to the understanding of melanoma genetics in the Chinese population and have implications for personalized treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of physical exercise on human health make it desirable to identify new approaches that would mimic or potentiate the effects of exercise to treat metabolic diseases. However, whether far-infrared (FIR) hyperthermia therapy could be used as exercise mimetic to realize wide-ranging metabolic regulation, and its underling mechanisms remain unclear. Here, a specific far-infrared (FIR) rays generated from graphene-based hyperthermia devices might promote exercise capacity and metabolisms. The material characterization showed that the graphene synthesized by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) was different from carbon fiber, with single-layer structure and high electrothermal transform efficiency. The emission spectra generated by graphene-FIR device would maximize matching those adsorbed by tissues. Graphene-FIR enhanced both core and epidermal temperatures, leading to increased blood flow in the femoral muscle and the abdominal region. The combination of microbiomic and metabolomic analysis revealed that graphene-FIR modulates the metabolism of the gut-muscle axis. This modulation was characterized by an increased abundance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)-producing bacteria and AMP, while lactic acid levels decreased. Furthermore, the principal routes involved in glucose metabolism, such as glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, were found to be altered. Graphene-FIR managed to stimulate AMPK activity by activating GPR43, thus enhancing muscle glucose uptake. Furthermore, a microbiota disorder model also demonstrated that the graphene-FIR effectively restore the exercise endurance with enhanced p-AMPK and GLUT4. Our results provided convincing evidence that graphene-based FIR therapy promoted exercise capacity and glucose metabolism via AMPK in gut-muscle axis. These novel findings regarding the therapeutic effects of graphene-FIR suggested its potential utility as a mimetic agent in clinical management of metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering construction (such as water conservancy project, road engineering, and so on) in mountain areas bring mass of waste soil and rock fragment, whose stability is critical to the ecological environment and the safe operation of engineering facilities. The biggest waste dump of the Pumped Storage Power Station Project in Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province, China, with a volume of 7 million m³ and a maximum height of 240 m, is to be located at the origin of Mahua Valley. To assess the potential risk of the waste dump, reconnaissance, geomorphological analysis was undertaken to provide basic data. The potential failure area and volume was determined utilizing Flac3D depending on strength reduction method. The kinematic process and the potential hazards after failure was presented by Particle flow code. The results showed that the factor of safety of the waste dump under heavy precipitation was 1.15, less than the stability requirement of slope in hydropower station, and the potential failure volume was about 4.8 million m³. The scenario-based debris mass run-out paths indicated that, considering the worst cases scenario, the ground ventilation platform and ventilation tunnel exit on the right bank of the gully might be destroyed rapidly by landslide debris. Besides, the debris flow would accumulate at the gully mouth, and even run into the lower reservoir. Thus, more attention should be taken to increase the stability of the waste dump. These results are useful information for decision support and future hazard assessment of such engineering project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) play an important role in the study of complex behaviors and their physiological correlations in non-human primates (NHPs). However, collecting HR and RR information is often challenging, involving either invasive implants or tedious behavioral training, and there are currently few established simple and non-invasive techniques for HR and RR measurement in NHPs owing to their stress response or indocility. In this study, we employed a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar to design a novel contactless HR and RR monitoring system. The designed system can estimate HR and RR in real time by placing the FMCW radar on the cage and facing the chest of both awake and anesthetized macaques, the NHP investigated in this study. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms existing methods, with averaged absolute errors between the reference monitor and radar estimates of 0.77 beats per minute (bpm) and 1.29 respirations per minute (rpm) for HR and RR, respectively. In summary, we believe that the proposed non-invasive and contactless estimation method could be generalized as a HR and RR monitoring tool for NHPs. Furthermore, after modifying the radar signal-processing algorithms, it also shows promise for applications in other experimental animals for animal welfare, behavioral, neurological, and ethological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafast pulsed lasers are pivotal in advanced domains such as optical communications, optical metrology, all-optical sampling, optical frequency combs, laser ranging, and laser machining, where saturable absorbers (SAs) are crucial components. Various SAs based on two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted great attention in recent years due to their low cost, high stability, large modulation depth, broadband absorption, and excellent optical nonlinearity. In this work, Bi2O2Te nanosheets (NSs) based SA with a saturation intensity of 20.6 MW/cm2 and a modulation depth of 2.2% was prepared by utilizing liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) technique, which was firstly applied to a passively mode-locked ytterbium-doped fiber laser (YDFL). The experiment results show that a sequence of dissipative soliton (DS) pulse train with a repetition frequency of 3.303 MHz was obtained at 1032.5 nm. The pulse duration, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and maximum peak power were 166 fs, 70 dB, 21 kW, respectively. The results not only underscore the potential of Bi2O2Te NSs-based SA for ultrafast photonics applications around 1 μm wavelength, but also open a way for further exploration of high-performance, all-fiber laser sources utilizing 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the accuracy of data processing and interpretation, effective suppression of the regional background field and extraction of the local anomaly field for further analyses represent urgent issues that need to be solved in the wide-field electromagnetic methods. The present study proposes an anomaly separation technique based on the residual method to develop the basic idea of regional field separation in gravity and magnetic exploration. The proposed technique can effectively suppress the regional background field and highlight local anomalies, such as faults and thin layers in inversion imaging, overcoming the shortcomings of traditional interpretation methods. Based on the interpolation-cutting method, a dynamically improved interpolation-cutting operator is proposed to obtain the regional background field by separating it from the local anomaly field. Furthermore, one- and two-dimensional complex geoelectric models are designed to perform calculations, inverse imaging, and anomaly separation. It has been demonstrated that the local anomaly information extracted by the anomaly separation technology describes accurate strata, structures, and faults, obviously superior to the traditional processing results. The proposed method is used to separate the anomalies from the wide-field electromagnetic inversion imaging in the Changning area of the southern Sichuan Province. The local information of the structures, thin layers, and faults obtained by the anomaly separation results is highly consistent with the seismic profile, indicating that the proposed anomaly separation technology is effective and reliable. Further, the proposed technology can effectively improve the inversion imaging accuracy and the interpretation reliability of traditional wide-field electromagnetic methods; thus, it has important application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Electron beam irradiation can cause damage to biological and organic samples, as determined via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) significantly reduces such damage by quickly freezing the environmental water around organic molecules. However, there are multiple hypotheses about the mechanism of cryo-protection in cryo-EM. A lower temperature can cause less molecular dissociation in the first stage, or frozen water can have a "cage" effect by preventing the dissociated fragments from flying away. In this work, we use real-time time-dependent density functional theory molecular dynamics(rt-TDDFT-MD) simulations to study the related dynamics. We use our recently developed natural orbital branching (NOB) algorithm to describe the molecular dissociation process after the molecule is ionized. We find that despite the difference in surrounding water molecules at different temperatures, the initial dissociation process is similar. On the other hand, the dissociated fragments fly away at room temperature, while they remain in the same cage when frozen water is used. Our results provide direct support for the cage effect mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles have been used as filters for decades in mine drainage systems. But the physical clogging of geotextiles by fine particles has continued to receive increasing attention. In this study, the permeation characteristics of a drain pipe wrapped with geotextiles were investigated based on a new radial flow experiment apparatus, and particle size distribution (PSD), pore water pressure (PWP), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were employed to identify the geotextile clogging mechanism. The geotextile cleaning methods after clogging were also discussed. The results showed that an exponential decay of hydraulic conductivity (K) with time under different flow conditions. Particles less than 30 μm migrated to the drainage pipe under the action of seepage forces, and a dense and thick cake layer was formed upstream of the geotextile filter. According to microscopic analysis, the clogging process of geotextiles was divided into three stages: pore blockage and cake formation, filter cake dynamic growth and cake layer filtration. Backwash cleaning is a good way to remove a filter cake layer on the surface of geotextiles, which can recover 60% of the hydraulic conductivity (K0). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiZrTaNb-based high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are research frontier of biomedical materials due to their high hardness, good yield strength, excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance. Sn, as an essential trace element in the human body that plays a significant role in physiological process. It has stable chemical properties and a low elastic modulus. In this study, a new material, TiZrTaNbSn HEAs, was proposed as a potential biomedical alloy. The Ti35Zr25Ta15Nb15Sn10 biomedical high-entropy alloys (BHEAs) were successfully prepared through an arc melting furnace and then remelted using a German high-temperature and high-pressure apparatus under GPa-level (4 GPa and 7 GPa). The precipitation behavior of the needle-like HCP-Zr5Sn3 phase that precipitates discontinuously at the grain boundary was successfully controlled. The phase constitution, microstructure, and corrosion resistance of the alloy were studied. The results show that the needle-like HCP-Zr5Sn3 phase is eliminated and the (Zr, Sn)-rich nanoprecipitated phase is precipitated in the microstructure under high pressure, which leads to the narrowing of grain boundaries and consequently improves the corrosion resistance of the alloy. In addition, the formation mechanisms of (Zr, Sn)-rich nanoprecipitates in BHEAs were discussed. More Zr and Sn dissolve in the matrix due to the effect of high pressure, during the cooling process, they precipitate to form a (Zr, Sn)-rich nano-precipitated phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the spatiotemporal variation of viscosity, the simulation of grouting processes is quite challenging. In this work, based on the volume-of-fluid method, the transport time tracking approach is developed to model the spatiotemporal variation of viscosity in grouting processes. Firstly, a partial differential equation of transport time is proposed and applied to obtain the resided time of fluid clusters in the domain. Meanwhile, in order to address the variable viscosity of the slurry phase, the dependence of viscosity on transport time is associated. Secondly, an artificial convection term is introduced in the equation of transport time to capture a sharp interface. This algorithm is implemented using the open-source CFD code OpenFOAM. Subsequently, three different test cases are launched to verify our algorithm and implementation. By using the combination of these numerical treatments, the transport time can be solved in the slurry phase with limited numerical diffusion. Finally, the approach is further compared with the previous experiment. The results show that not only can our algorithm solve the transport time correctly, but also the pressure data agree well with the experiment. It can be seen that this approach could be further applied to the simulation of other fields such as thrombosis, ventilation, and radionuclide migration problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esketamine (ESK) is the S-enantiomer of ketamine racemate (a new psychoactive substance) that can result in illusions, and alter hearing, vision, and proprioception in human and mouse. Up to now, the neurotoxicity caused by ESK at environmental level in fish is still unclear. This work studied the effects of ESK on behaviors and transcriptions of genes in dopamine and GABA pathways in zebrafish larvae at ranging from 12.4 ng L− 1 to 11141.1 ng L− 1 for 7 days post fertilization (dpf). The results showed that ESK at 12.4 ng L− 1 significantly reduced the touch response of the larvae at 48 hpf. ESK at 12.4 ng L− 1 also reduced the time and distance of larvae swimming at the outer zone during light period, which implied that ESK might potentially decrease the anxiety level of larvae. In addition, ESK increased the transcription of th, ddc, drd1a, drd3 and drd4a in dopamine pathway. Similarly, ESK raised the transcription of slc6a1b, slc6a13 and slc12a2 in GABA pathway. This study suggested that ESK could affect the heart rate and behaviors accompanying with transcriptional alterations of genes in DA and GABA pathways at early-staged zebrafish, which resulted in neurotoxicity in zebrafish larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-specific insertions play important roles in human phenotypes and diseases. Here we reported a 446-bp insertion (Insert-446) in intron 11 of the TBC1D8B gene, located on chromosome X, and traced its origin to a portion of intron 6 of the EBF1 gene on chromosome 5. Interestingly, Insert-446 was present in the human Neanderthal and Denisovans genomes, and was fixed in humans after human-chimpanzee divergence. We have demonstrated that Insert-446 acts as an enhancer through binding transcript factors that promotes a higher expression of human TBC1D8B gene as compared with orthologs in macaques. In addition, over-expression TBC1D8B promoted cell proliferation and migration through "a dual finger" catalytic mechanism (Arg538 and Gln573) in the TBC domain in vitro and knockdown of TBC1D8B attenuated tumorigenesis in vivo. Knockout of Insert-446 prevented cell proliferation and migration in cancer and normal cells. Our results reveal that the human-specific Insert-446 promotes cell proliferation and migration by upregulating the expression of TBC1D8B gene. These findings provide a significant insight into the effects of human-specific insertions on evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate deformation monitoring of geotechnical infrastructures using distributed fiber optic sensing requires a strong interfacial bond between strain sensing cables and surrounding soil. Micro-anchors provide a straightforward solution to enhance the interlocking effect at the cable–soil interface, but their anchorage mechanism remains unclear. This paper presents an experimental study on the interfacial behavior of anchored strain sensing cables embedded in soil. A series of pullout tests were conducted to investigate the effect of various factors on interfacial performance, including anchor spacing, anchor diameter, and confining pressure. The test results indicate that the anchor spacing and confining pressure substantially influenced the pullout resistance of anchored cables, while the anchor diameter had a minor effect. In contrast with unanchored cables, anchored cables exhibited strain hardening behavior during the pullout process instead of strain softening. The micro-anchors on cables played a reinforcing role sequentially with increasing pullout displacements, and those closer to the cable head exerted reinforcing effect earlier. Due to the pullout resistance of micro-anchors, the anchored cables have unique step-like strain profiles throughout the pullout tests, and they are not prone to interface decoupling under large deformation conditions. However, for closely spaced micro-anchors, the overlapping of interfacial shear zones led to a loss in the pullout resistance, which becomes insignificant with increasing anchor spacing. This study not only provides improved insight into the interpretation of fiber optic strain measurements but also sheds light on soil–inclusion interaction mechanisms in geotechnical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in Chemistry of Natural Compounds, discusses the production of isoflavone metabolites and their microbial transformation by a soil-derived Saccharopolyspora antimicrobica DSMZ45119. Actinomycetes, specifically the Saccharopolyspora genus, have been a focus of research due to their production of biologically active secondary metabolites. The study implemented the one strain many compounds (OSMAC) approach to cultivate DSMZ45119 on six different media and analyzed the resulting metabolites. The researchers isolated and characterized six known isoflavone aglycones and glycosides from the strain. The article also discusses the antimicrobial, cytotoxic, immunosuppressive, and antioxidant activities of these compounds. The work was co-financed by grants from the Key Research Program of Hainan Province and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is a serious complication after hepatectomy and a major cause of death. The current criteria for PHLF diagnosis (ISGLS consensus) require laboratory data of elevated INR level and hyperbilirubinemia on or after postoperative day 5. This study aims to propose a new indicator for the early clinical prediction of PHLF. Methods: The peri-operative arterial lactate concentration level ratios were derived from time points within the 3 days before surgery and within POD1, the patients were divided into two groups: high lactate ratio group (≥ 1) and low lactate ratio group (< 1). We compared the differences in morbidity rates between the two groups. Utilized logistic regression analysis to identify the risk factors associated with PHLF development and ROC curves to compare the predictive value of lactate ratio and other liver function indicators for PHLF. Results: A total of 203 patients were enrolled in the study. Overall morbidity and severe morbidity occurred in 64.5 and 12.8 per cent of patients respectively. 39 patients (19.2%) met the criteria for PHLF, including 15 patients (7.4%) with clinically relevant Post-hepatectomy liver failure (CR-PHLF). With a significantly higher incidence of PHLF observed in the lactate ratio ≥ 1 group compared to the lactate ratio < 1 group (n = 34, 26.8% vs. n = 5, 6.6%, P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that a lactate ratio ≥ 1 was an independent predictor for PHLF (OR: 3.239, 95% CI 1.097–9.565, P = 0.033). Additionally, lactate ratio demonstrated good predictive efficacy for PHLF (AUC = 0.792). Conclusions: Early assessment of peri-operative arterial lactate concentration level ratios may provide experience in early intervention of complications in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, which can reduce the likelihood of PHLF occurrence and improve patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many lines of evidence indicate that red jungle fowl (RJF) is the primary ancestor of domestic chickens. Although multiple versions of RJF (galgal2-galgal5 and GRCg6a) and commercial chickens (GRCg7b/w and Huxu) genomes have been assembled since 2004, no high-quality indigenous chicken genomes have been assembled, hampering the understanding of chicken domestication and evolution. To fill the gap, we sequenced the genomes of four indigenous chickens with distinct morphological traits in southwest China, using a combination of short, long and Hi-C reads. We assembled each genome (~1.0 Gb) into 42 chromosomes with chromosome N50 90.5–90.9 Mb, amongst the highest quality of chicken genome assemblies. To provide resources for gene annotation and functional analysis, we also sequenced transcriptomes of 10 tissues for each of the four chickens. Moreover, we corrected many mis-assemblies and assembled missing micro-chromosomes 29 and 34–39 for GRCg6a. Our assemblies, sequencing data and the correction of GRCg6a can be valuable resources for studying chicken domestication and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, numerous measures have been proposed for quantifying the quantumness of a given system, and the existence of intrinsic connections among quantum resource measures has been proven. Here, we study the unified relationship between duality, first-order coherence, three-setting linear steering inequality, and maximum average fidelity between two masses due to gravity. Under gravitational inducement, an equivalent relationship was identified between the first-order coherence and duality. The coherence of a system can be controlled by adjusting arm lengths and the distance between the arms of an interferometer. In most cases, the first-order coherence of a system cannot be maximised. Furthermore, a trade-off relationship between gravitationally induced duality and steering violations was derived. We can adjust the arm length and distance between the arms of the interferometer such that the steering violation reaches its maximum at phase π . The results show that the value of the steering violation is always greater than 1; that is, the state of the system is steerable. In addition, we explored the intrinsic relationship between duality and the maximal average fidelity due to gravity. In most cases, the maximum average fidelity of the system is greater than 2/3, indicating that the state is useful for quantum teleportation. These results are important for investigating the intrinsic relationships among various quantum resources within the framework of gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B cells possess anti-tumor functions mediated by granzyme B, in addition to their role in antigen presentation and antibody production. However, the variations in granzyme B+ B cells between tumor and non-tumor tissues have been largely unexplored. Therefore, we integrated 25 samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and analyzed the tumor immune microenvironment. The findings uncovered significant inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Notably, single-cell data showed higher proportions of granzyme B+ B cells in tumor samples compared to control samples, and these levels were positively associated with disease-free survival. The elevated levels of granzyme B+ B cells in tumor samples resulted from tumor cell chemotaxis through the MIF- (CD74 + CXCR4) signaling pathway. Furthermore, the anti-tumor function of granzyme B+ B cells in tumor samples was adversely affected, potentially providing an explanation for tumor progression. These findings regarding granzyme B+ B cells were further validated in an independent clinic cohort of 40 liver transplant recipients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Our study unveils an interaction between granzyme B+ B cells and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, opening up potential avenues for the development of novel therapeutic strategies against this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Fe/Si reduction efficiency, Gd/Mn alloying efficiency, and corrosion susceptibility of the Mg-xMn-4.0Gd alloy were investigated. The results reveal that adding Mn gives a more prominent Fe removal effect under the conventional smelting processes. Neither the amount of Gd addition nor excessive Mn addition is sufficient for the continued strengthening of the Fe removal effect. The alloying efficiency of Mn increased and then decreased as a result of adding Mn alone to mixtures of Mn and Gd elements, while the alloying efficiency of Gd elements gradually diminished. An appropriate amount of Mn addition is beneficial for efficiently improving the corrosion resistance of the alloy. The extruded Mg-0.8Mn-4.0Gd alloy has more outstanding corrosion resistance, with a CRWeighet Loss of 4.48 ± 0.33 mg/(cm2·d) and CRHydrogen Evolution of 2.01 ± 0.31 ml/(cm2·d). The corrosion susceptibility of the extruded Mg-xMn-4.0Gd alloy mainly hinges on the grain size, Gd solid solubility, and texture intensity of basal plane I(0002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragali Radix (A. Radix) is the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus (Bge) Hsiao or Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge., belonging to the family Leguminosae, which is mainly distributed in China. A. Radix has been consumed as a tonic in China for more than 2000 years because of its medicinal effects of invigorating the spleen and replenishing qi. Currently, more than 400 natural compounds have been isolated and identified from A. Radix, mainly including saponins, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, and others. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that A. Radix has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-atherosclerotic, cardioprotective, anti-hypertensive, and anti-aging effects. It has been clinically used in the treatment of tumors, cardiovascular diseases, and cerebrovascular complications associated with diabetes with few side effects and high safety. This paper reviewed the progress of research on its chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, clinical applications, developing applications, and toxicology, which provides a basis for the better development and utilization of A. Radix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular profiles and tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of multiple primary lung cancers (MPLCs) presenting as concurrent lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) remain unknown. We aimed to clarify these factors. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), and multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) for five patients with concurrent ADC and SQCC. We found the genetic mutations were similar between ADC and SQCC groups. RNA-Seq revealed that the gene expression and pathways enriched in ADC and SQCC groups were quite different. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSVA) showed that nine gene sets were significantly differentially expressed between the ADC and SQCC groups (p < 0.05), with four gene sets relevant to squamous cell features upregulated in the SQCC group and five gene sets upregulated in the ADC group. Reactome enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that the immune function-related pathways, including programmed cell death, innate immune system, interleukin-12 family signaling, and toll-like receptor 2/4 pathways, etc. were significantly enriched. Transcriptomic TIME analysis, with mIHC in patient specimens and in vivo validation, showed tumor-infiltrating immune cells were significantly more enriched and diverse in ADC, especially CD8 + T cells. Our results revealed that the transcriptomic profiles and TIME features were quite different between ADC and SQCC lesions. ADC lesions exhibited a more active TIME than SQCC lesions in MPLCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are four species in the Crossoptilon genus inhibiting at from very low to very high altitudes across China, and they are in varying levels of danger of extinction. To better understand the genetic basis of adaptation to high altitudes and genetic changes due to bottleneck, we assembled the genome (~1.02 Gb) of a white eared pheasant (WT) (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) inhibiting at high altitudes (3,000~7,000 m) in northwest of Yunnan province, China, using a combination of Illumina short reads, PacBio long reads and Hi-C reads, with a contig N50 of 19.63 Mb and only six gaps. To further provide resources for gene annotation as well as functional and population genetics analyses, we sequenced transcriptomes of 20 major tissues of the WT individual and re-sequenced another 10 WT individuals and a blue eared pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum) individual inhabiting at intermediate altitudes (1,500~3,000 m). Our assembled WT genome, transcriptome data, and DNA sequencing data can be valuable resources for studying the biology, evolution and developing conservation strategies of these endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease was proposed by international consensus to redefine the metabolic abnormal condition. However, its impact on liver transplant recipients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma has not been explored. Methods: A two-center retrospective cohort study on liver transplant recipients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma was performed to analyze the impact of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease on the clinicopathologic parameters and prognosis. Results: There were 201 liver transplant recipients enrolled from two hospitals in our study. The pre- and post-transplant prevalences of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease were 9.95% and 28.86%, respectively. The clinicopathological parameters revealed a similarity between patients with and without pre-transplant metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. In contrast, the group with post-transplant metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease was linked with older age, a higher hepatitis recurrence rate and incidence of cardiovascular disease, usage of calcineurin inhibitors, a greater body mass index and waist circumference, lower albumin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and poorer tumor-free survival and overall survival. The multivariate analysis showed the largest tumor size >4 cm (95% confidence intervals: 0.06~0.63, p = 0.006), microvascular invasion (95% confidence intervals: 1.61~14.92, p = 0.005), post-transplant metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (95% confidence intervals: 1.40~10.60, p = 0.009), and calcineurin inhibitors-based regimen (95% confidence intervals: 0.33~0.96, p = 0.036) were the independent risk factors for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusions: Our study suggests that post-transplant metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease is more closely to metabolic abnormalities and that it can help identify liver transplant recipients at high risk of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of the EuroQol-5-Dimension five-level instrument (EQ-5D-5L) proxy in caregivers of children and adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) or spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Method: Data were collected using the EQ-5D-5L proxy for individuals with DMD or SMA, as reported by their caregivers. Ceiling and floor effects, reliability (Cronbach's alpha), convergent and divergent validity (Spearman's correlation coefficient and Bland–Altman plot) and known-group validity (analysis of variance) was used to assess the instrument's psychometric properties. Results: Totally, 855 caregivers completed the questionnaire. Significant floor effects were observed for most dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L in both SMA and DMD samples. The EQ-5D-5L was strongly correlated with the hypothesized subscales of the SF-12, which confirmed satisfactory convergent and divergent validity. The EQ-5D-5L can significantly differentiate between impaired functional groups for individuals, demonstrating satisfactory discriminative ability. The agreement between the EQ-5D-5L utility and EQ-VAS scores was poor. Conclusions: Based on the measurement properties assessed in this study, the EQ-5D-5L proxy is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the health-related quality of life of individuals with DMD or SMA rated by caregivers. Further studies should examine the content validity of the EQ-5D as well as the performance of its young version in these two patient groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear energy sinks (NES) have been shown to have broadband absorption for multiple modes. Furthermore, linear dynamic absorbers (LDA) often only operate effectively within located frequency ranges and are unable to achieve broadband absorption. Therefore, this manuscript first proposed using a hybrid LDA and NES to design the circular ring absorption system. Compared with LDA, broadband absorption could be achieved through configuring and tuning linear stiffness. Both the linear and nonlinear stiffnesses are introduced by adding vertical and horizontal springs. The linear and nonlinear stiffness effects on the circular ring absorption system are investigated simultaneously. The dynamic model of the circular ring absorption system with hybrid LDA and NES is constructed, and the approximate analytical solution is obtained using the harmonic balance analysis. The expressions of frequency response and force transmissibility are given, and the analytical results are verified numerically. By comparing the amplitude-frequency response curves of the circular ring with LDA only, NES only, and a hybrid LDA and NES, it is confirmed that a hybrid LDA and NES can better control the forced vibration of the circular ring absorption system. Hybrid LDA and NES were shown to suppress main resonance peaks of the circular ring absorption system, making the device resistant to misalignments. In a linear system, this can only be achieved by resonance matching, so a hybrid LDA and NES have the same effect as adding multiple linear absorbers. Some properties of damping, nonlinear stiffness, and mass ratios in a hybrid LDA and NES are investigated. These parameters determine the specific shape of the force transmissibility curve of the ring absorption system. It is found that a proper increase in the mass ratio of the hybrid LDA and NES can obtain a better vibration reduction effect; adjusting the damping ratio and nonlinear stiffness ratio of the hybrid LDA and NES can improve the vibration reduction effect to a certain extent. Based on the analysis of the parameters effects of hybrid LDA and NES on vibration control, the parameters of hybrid LDA and NES are compared. The analysis of the results demonstrates that by selecting reasonable damping, nonlinear stiffness, and mass ratios, the frequency band of the circular ring absorption system can be broadened. Finally, an experiment is performed to validate the correctness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to utilize chaos game representation (CGR) for the investigation of microstate sequences and explore its potential as neurobiomarkers for psychiatric disorders. We applied our proposed method to a public dataset including 82 patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and 61 control subjects. Two time series were constructed: one using the microstate spacing distance in CGR and the other using complex numbers representing the microstate coordinates in CGR. Power spectral features of both time series and frequency matrix CGR (FCGR) were compared between groups and employed in a machine learning application. The four canonical microstates (A, B, C, and D) were identified using both shared and separate templates. Our results showed the microstate oscillatory pattern exhibited alterations in the FEP group. Using oscillatory features improved machine learning performance compared with classical features and FCGR. This study opens up new avenues for exploring the use of CGR in analyzing EEG microstate sequences. Features derived from microstate sequence CGR offer fine-grained neurobiomarkers for psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: NUDT21 (Nudix Hydrolase 21) has been shown to play an essential role in multiple biological processes. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is one of the most fatal cancers in the world. However, the biological function of NUDT21 in PAAD remains rarely understood. The aim of this research was to identify the prediction value of NUDT21 in diagnosis, prognosis, immune infiltration, and signal pathway in PAAD. Methods: Combined with the data in online databases, we analyzed the expression, immune infiltration, function enrichment, signal pathway, diagnosis, and prognosis of NUDT21 in PAAD. Then, the biological function of NUDT21 and its interacted protein in PAAD was identified through plasmid transduction system and protein mass spectrometry. Expression of NUDT21 was further verified in clinical specimens by immunofluorescence. Results: We found that NUDT21 was upregulated in PAAD tissues and was significantly associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer through bioinformatic data analysis. We also found that overexpression of NUDT21 enhanced PAAD cells proliferation and migration, whereas knockdown NUDT21 restored the effects through in vitro experiment. Moreover, NDUFS2 was recognized as a potential target of NUDT21.We further verified that the expression of NDUFS2 was positively correlated with NUDT21 in PAAD clinical specimens. Mechanically, we found that NUDT21 stabilizes NDUFS2 and activates the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our investigation reveals that NUDT21 is a previously unrecognized oncogenic factor in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment target of PAAD, and we suggest that NUDT21 might be a novel therapeutic target in PAAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has caused huge losses to countries around the world, and it will not end in a short time. The lack of motivation for international joint prevention and control is one of the important reasons for the global pandemic of COVID-19. How to improve the efforts and level of international joint prevention and control has become an urgent problem to be solved. Considering the long-term and dynamic nature of international joint prevention and control, the differential game method is used to compare and analyze the optimal decisions of countries in the three scenarios of spontaneous governance, external subsidies and internal cost sharing. The results show that the optimal prevention and control efforts of countries are negatively correlated with discount rates, prevention and control cost coefficients, decay rate and risk factors. It is positively correlated with the impact degree of social benefits, the impact degree of prevention and control efforts on the level of joint prevention and control, the distribution ratio of social benefits, and the impact degree of prevention and control level on social benefits. The prevention and control efforts, joint prevention and control level, social benefits and system benefits under spontaneous governance are the lowest and highest under the internal cost sharing. The internal cost sharing will only be carried out when social benefits distribution ratio obtained reach a certain threshold. This study provides decision-making support for the joint prevention and control of countries to defeat COVID-19 under the normalization of the epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is the most important tropical oil-bearing crop species worldwide. MADS-box proteins, which play crucial roles in plant growth and development and are involved in various physiological and biochemical processes, compose one of the largest families of plant transcription factors. In this study, 42 MADS-box genes were screened from the mesocarp transcriptome database of oil palm fruit, and their phylogenetic relationships with Arabidopsis thaliana MADS-box genes were analyzed. Based on the results, MADS-box genes from oil palm mesocarp were classified into four groups: MIKCc-type, MIKC*-type, Mα-type, and Mγ-type MADS-box genes. Members of the subfamilies were classified according to the presence of three specific protein motifs. To explore the differential expression of the MADS-box genes, the dynamic expression of all selected MADS-box genes in oil palm was measured by RNA-seq. The high expression of specific MADS-box genes in the mesocarp of oil palm during different developmental stages indicates that those genes may play important roles in the cell division of and metabolite accumulation in the fruit and could become important targets for fruit development and oil accumulation research in oil palm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi solid-state succinonitrile (SN)-based polymer electrolytes have emerged for lithium-metal batteries due to their excellent ion-conductivity at room temperature, wide electrochemical stability window (ESW, usually >5 V). However, the practical application of these solid SN-based polymer electrolytes is hampered by the flammability and the inherent instability of SN to Li-metal anode. In this work, solid SN-based polymer electrolytes were prepared with succinonitrile, ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate (ETPTA), triethyl phosphate (TEP) and fluoroethylene carbonate for Li-metal battery via in situ polymerization method. The SN-based polymer electrolytes with 5 wt% triethyl phosphate and FEC showed good nonflammability, superior ion-conductivity as high as 1.01×10−3 S/cm, and wide ESW of 5.41 V. This SN-based polymer electrolyte also exhibited excellent interfacial compatibility to lithium metal anode. And it also delivered a high specific capacity of 156 mAh/g at 0.2 C at ambient temperature, and presented stable cycling at 1.0 C with a specific capacity retention of 98.4% after 1000 cycles. This work provides an alternative and simple strategy to realize the practical application of the solid-state SN-based polymer electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study assessed patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using two generic preference-based measures in Chinese patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) and identified demographic and clinical determinants of health utility scores in this population. Methods: This study used cross-sectional data of 212 Chinese patients with SBMA who completed both the EQ-5D and SF-6D. Association between response to EQ-5D and SF-6D dimensions was examined using Spearman's correlation coefficient, and the association between the two utility scores was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The variations in utility scores across patients in different subgroups were compared using one-way ANOVA. Bland–Altman (B–A) plot was used to assess the agreement of utility scores between EQ-5D and SF-6D. A multivariate Tobit regression model was employed to estimate the association between utility scores and the presence of symptoms and chronic conditions. Results: The mean utility scores for the EQ-5D and SF-6D were 0.54 and 0.56, respectively. The hypothesized correlation between the EQ-5D and SF-6D dimensions ranged from 0.31 to 0.58, and the correlation between their utility scores was 0.64. An acceptable agreement between EQ-5D and SF-6D utility scores was identified by B–A plot. Patients with chronic diseases, misdiagnosis, high financial burden, and several clinical symptoms were highly likely to report a low health utility score. Conclusions: This study is the first to investigate the HRQoL of patients with SBMA worldwide. The estimated health utility scores for EQ-5D and SF-6D can be utilized as baseline data for future cost-utility analyses of SBMA-related interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing deep learning compilers are unable to perform efficient hardware performance-related graph fusion when both time and power consumption are considered. In addition, the compilers optimize the computational graph of deep neural networks (DNNs) by performing static graph transformation based on the greedy algorithm, only considering the runtime performance, and ignoring the cost of the tuning process. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a DNN computational graph optimization compiler (PCGC). Through the performance feedback at runtime, PCGC designs a computational graph fusion and splitting optimization strategy based on multilevel operator layer fusion-splitting rules. First, PCGC uses a rule-guided graph segmentation algorithm to recursively segment the computational graph into smaller subgraph to achieve an efficient and detailed search. Then, PCGC uses the cost model to receive feedback from hardware performance information, proposes cost model and operator fusion rules to synthetically guide the partial fusion and partitioning of nodes and edges of the computational graph, and generates optimal subgraphs flexibly according to different hardware to optimize the search space for partial fusion. Finally, we make the cost model converge quickly to the loss value we set by manually adjusting the parameters. Compared with other advanced compilers, PCGC optimizes the overall power consumption on an embedded GPU by an average of 130.5% when the time consumption on each hardware is not lower than the average time consumption. On domain-specific architecture, PCGC optimizes power consumption by an average of 66.5%. On FPGA, PCGC optimizes power consumption by 66.1%. In a sense, PCGC can achieve high-speed inference in specific power supply scenarios, reducing the carbon emissions of edge computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles-based glues have recently been shown with substantial potential for hydrogel adhesion. Nevertheless, the transformative advance in hydrogel-based application places great challenges on the rapidity, robustness, and universality of achieving hydrogel adhesion, which are rarely accommodated by existing nanoparticles-based glues. Herein, we design a type of nanohesives based on the modulation of hydrogel mechanics and the surface chemical activation of nanoparticles. The nanohesives can form robust hydrogel adhesion in seconds, to the surface of arbitrary engineering solids and biological tissues without any surface pre-treatments. A representative application of hydrogel machine demonstrates the tough and compliant adhesion between dynamic tissues and sensors via nanohesives, guaranteeing accurate and stable blood flow monitoring in vivo. Combined with their biocompatibility and inherent antimicrobial properties, the nanohesives provide a promising strategy in the field of hydrogel based engineering. Achieving rapid, robust, and universal hydrogel adhesion poses challenges for nanoparticle-based glues. Here, the authors present nanohesives that can adhere to diverse surfaces without pre-treatment based on hydrogel mechanics design and interface chemistry modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) seriously affects the health of both pregnant women and fetuses. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pregnancy-related AKI (PR-AKI). Methods: This case series study enrolled pregnant women with PR-AKI admitted to the surgical intensive care unit of Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine between January 2010 and December 2020. Results: Thirty-one PR-AKI patients were enrolled with a mean age of 29.16 ± 4.97 years. Seventeen pregnant women (54.84%) had complete recovery of renal function, 5 (16.13%) had partial recovery of renal function, 2 (6.45%) patients had no renal function improvement, and 7 (22.58%) died. Among the 31 patients with 35 fetuses, 25 (80.6%) pregnant women had poor fetal outcomes, including 5 cases of stillbirths, 5 neonatal asphyxia, 18 premature births, 10 low birth weight, and 8 deficient birth weight infants. Compared to cases with good fetal outcomes, cases with poor fetal outcomes had significantly shorter gestational weeks (39.26 ± 1.53 vs. 31.62 ± 5.50, P = 0.002), lower platelet count (217.13 ± 122.87 vs. 90.24 ± 84.88, P = 0.005), lower hemoglobin (94.19 ± 13.21 vs. 74.48 ± 20.78, P = 0.036), higher blood urea nitrogen (11.87 ± 4.28 vs. 19.47 ± 10.98, P = 0.013), and higher uric acid (262.41 ± 167.00 vs. 586.87 ± 144.52, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The maternal renal function of women with PR-AKI might improve after treatment, but occurrence rates of adverse fetal outcomes were still high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel pruning has recently become a widely used model compression method. However, most existing channel pruning methods only prune to decrease the model size, such as the number of parameters or FLOPs, and hence the decrease in model size does not effectively lead to an improvement in inference performance. To address this problem, this paper proposes a latency-optimized channel pruning method for CNN inference acceleration on GPU platforms by latency stair-step discrimination, two-stage benefit assessment and latency-sharing channel pruning. Compared with recent state-of-the-art model compression methods, it can achieve significant improvements in inference performance with comparable compression rates and model accuracy. The contributions of this paper include the following: first, a three-point latency stair-step discrimination method is proposed for determining the candidate prunable coordinates with the best latency performance adapted to the current hardware. Then, a two-stage benefit assessment method based on interlayer dependencies is proposed for determining the optimal channel pruning rate of each layer in the network. Finally, a latency-sharing channel pruning framework is proposed to accelerate the model pruning adaptation process. The method proposed in this paper can significantly reduce the model inference latency on multiple types of GPU platforms. To verify the effectiveness, we use three general-purpose GPU platforms and two embedded GPU platforms to evaluate the algorithm performance. The experimental results show that for recent state-of-the-art CNNs, the proposed method can achieve a 22.0–6.6% latency reduction and a 1.3 –3.0 inference performance improvement as well as a 1.2–4.3 pruning adaptation speedup with high model accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]