Search

Abstract Aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark of metabolic reprogramming in tumor progression. However, the mechanisms regulating glycolytic gene expression remain elusive in neuroblastoma (NB), the most common extracranial malignancy in childhood. Herein, we identify that CUT‐like homeobox 1 (CUX1) and CUX1‐generated circular RNA (circ‐CUX1) contribute to aerobic glycolysis and NB progression. Mechanistically, p110 CUX1, a transcription factor generated by proteolytic processing of p200 CUX1, promotes the expression of enolase 1, glucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase, and phosphoglycerate kinase 1, while circ‐CUX1 binds to EWS RNA‐binding protein 1 (EWSR1) to facilitate its interaction with MYC‐associated zinc finger protein (MAZ), resulting in transactivation of MAZ and transcriptional alteration of CUX1 and other genes associated with tumor progression. Administration of an inhibitory peptide blocking circ‐CUX1‐EWSR1 interaction or lentivirus mediating circ‐CUX1 knockdown suppresses aerobic glycolysis, growth, and aggressiveness of NB cells. In clinical NB cases, CUX1 is an independent prognostic factor for unfavorable outcome, and patients with high circ‐CUX1 expression have lower survival probability. These results indicate circ‐CUX1/EWSR1/MAZ axis as a therapeutic target for aerobic glycolysis and NB progression.

The associations between atmospheric temperature and congenital heart disease (CHD) and its subtypes are still inconclusive. In this population-based retrospective case-control study, 643 CHD cases and 3,215 non-CHD controls were analyzed through distributed lag nonlinear model to estimate the effect of weekly temperature exposure on CHD risk and to identify potentially vulnerable windows. Through the binary logistic regression model, we found that elevated temperature in the first trimester was associated with an increased risk of overall CHD and ventricular septal defect (VSD) (OR: 1.059, 95% CI: 1.002–1.119; OR: 1.094, 95% CI: 1.005–1.190, respectively), while increased temperature in the second trimester was significantly positively correlated with atrial septal defect (ASD) risk. However, the results of the DLNM showed a nonlinear relationship between the weekly average temperature and the risk of total CHDs and the subtypes. Exposure to extremely, moderately, and mildly high temperatures significantly increased the risk of overall CHD, ASD and VSD, and the critical windows were mainly concentrated at the 5th-11th and 23rd-27th weeks of gestation. Low-temperature extreme exposure resulted in vulnerable windows for ASD only: 13th-14th gestational weeks. No significant positive associations were found between extreme temperature and patent ductus arteriosus or tetralogy of Fallot. In the current context of climate change, our results add new evidence to the present understanding of the effects of high- and low-temperature extreme exposure on CHD and its main subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslide susceptibility evaluation is pivotal for mitigating landslide risk and enhancing early warning systems. Current practices in developing Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (LSM) often overlook the diverse mechanisms of landslides, and traditional machine learning (ML) models lack the capability for autonomous feature learning in landslide contexts. This study proposes a methodology that precedes the application of deep learning algorithms for LSM by classifying landslides and selecting relevant factors based on their deformation mechanisms. In the Zigui-Badong section of the Three Gorges Reservoir area (TGRA), landslides are classified into rock landslides (RL) and soil landslides (SL) based on the geological conditions and historical landslide inventory. A comprehensive evaluation index system, comprising thirteen factors is established. To identify the most pertinent factors for each type of landslide, these factors are ranked according to their contribution to landslide occurrence. For susceptibility assessment, this study introduces a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model and benchmarks its performance to traditional ML models including Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and Multilayer Perceptrons (MLP). The efficacy of these models is evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and various statistical analysis methods. The findings indicate that LSMs that consider different types of landslides yield more accurate and realistic outcomes. The CNN model outperformes its counterparts, with MLP being the second most effective and CART the least effective. Overall, this study demonstrates the superiority of an LSM approach that accounts for landslide diversity over traditional, monolithic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear charge transport, such as nonreciprocal longitudinal resistance and nonlinear Hall effect, has attracted considerable interest in probing the symmetries and topological properties of new materials. Recent research has revealed significant nonreciprocal longitudinal resistance and nonlinear Hall effect in MnBi2Te4, an intrinsic magnetic topological insulator, induced by the quantum metric dipole. However, the inconsistent response with charge density and conflicting C3z symmetry requirement necessitate a thorough understanding of factors affecting the nonlinear transport measurement. This study uncovers an experimental factor leading to significant nonlinear transport signals in MnBi2Te4, attributed to gate voltage oscillation from the application of large alternating current. Additionally, a methodology is proposed to suppress this effect by individually grounding the voltage electrodes during second-harmonic measurements. The investigation underscores the critical importance of assessing gate voltage oscillation's impact before determining the intrinsic nature of nonlinear transport in 2D material devices with an electrically connected operative gate electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing an active and stable anode catalyst for the proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEM-WE) is a critical objective to enhance the economic viability of green hydrogen technology. However, the expensive iridium-based electrocatalyst remains the sole practical material with industrial-level stability for the acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. Ruthenium-based catalysts have been proposed as more cost-effective alternatives with improved activity, though their stability requires enhancement. The current urgent goal is to reduce costs and noble metal loading of the OER catalyst while maintaining robust activity and stability. In this study, we design a Ru-based OER catalyst incorporating Pb as a supporting element. This electrocatalyst exhibits an OER overpotential of 201 mV at 10 mA·cm−2, simultaneously reducing Ru noble metal loading by ∼ 40%. Normalization of the electrochemically active surface area unveils improved intrinsic activity compared to the pristine RuO2 catalyst. During a practical stability test in a PEM-WE setup, our developed catalyst sustains stable performance over 300 h without notable degradation, underscoring its potential for future applications as a reliable anodic catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of di-Higgs events, both resonant and non-resonant, plays a crucial role in understanding the fundamental interactions of the Higgs boson. In this work we consider di-Higgs events decaying into four b-quarks and propose to improve the experimental sensitivity by utilizing a novel machine learning algorithm known as Symmetry Preserving Attention Network (Spa-Net) — a neural network structure whose architecture is designed to incorporate the inherent symmetries in particle reconstruction tasks. We demonstrate that the Spa-Net can enhance the experimental reach over baseline methods such as the cut-based and the Dense Neural Network-based analyses. At the Large Hadron Collider, with a 14-TeV center-of-mass energy and an integrated luminosity of 300 fb−1, the Spa-Net allows us to establish 95% C.L. upper limits in resonant production cross-sections that are 10% to 45% stronger than baseline methods. For non-resonant di-Higgs production, Spa-Net enables us to constrain the self-coupling that is 9% more stringent than the baseline method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Frontiers of Information Technology & Electronic Engineering is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The global expansion of educational systems has led to a growing prevalence of overeducation. Despite the well-documented overeducation-depression nexus in the developed world, scholars have paid much less attention to this relationship in developing countries. This study utilized data from the China Labor-Force Dynamis Survey (CLDS) 2016 and China's 1% Population Sample Survey 2015 to explore the mechanisms linking overeducation to depressive symptoms and identify factors buffering the strength of this association. Employing causal inference methods, including instrumental variable regression and propensity score matching, we find a positive impact of overeducation on depressive symptoms. Mediation analysis shows that low personal income and perceived fairness of earnings act as mediators, aligning with perspectives of wage penalty and distributive justice within the context of overeducation. Moreover, interaction effects suggest a stronger association between overeducation and depressive symptoms among individuals with less job autonomy, partially due to their lower likelihood of perceiving their earnings as fair. This study integrates status inconsistency theory and distributive justice theory, offering valuable insights for future research and policy formulation to address mental health challenges linked to educational mismatch in the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision space-based optical positioning contributes a lot to high-speed targets' instantaneous and accurate tracking and trajectory prediction. However, because of the line-of-sight (LOS) calibrated errors of one single satellite, including the interior and exterior orientation elements, and the poor efficiency and precision of the position calculation method based on the measurements of dual-satellite, it is still problematic to promote the ability of the aerospace defense system through the space-based optical guidance information. To address the problems mentioned above, this paper proposes a novel space-based dual-satellite joint positioning method based on the constrained total least squares (CTSL) for locating the space high-speed targets. First, the LOS orientation determining method and the analysis of the associated measurement errors of one single satellite are constructed elaborately to provide a theoretical foundation for joint positioning. Subsequently, taking the solution of the common least-squares as the initial value, a novel iterative joint positioning method with CTLS of dual-satellite is presented to complete the location parameters estimation with the constraints of random measurement errors. Finally, the simulation strategy and data based on STK are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Experimental results show that the positioning accuracy and stability of the proposed method for the high-speed targets are better than that of the conventional LOS cross-positioning method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging zero-dimensional nano crystalline porous material, porous organic cages (POCs) with soluble properties in organic solvents, are promising candidates as molecular fillers in mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). The pore structure of POCs should be adjusted to trigger efficient gas separation performance, and the interaction between filler and matrix should be optimized. In this work, ionic liquid (IL) was introduced into the molecular fillers of CC3, to construct the IL@CC3/PIM-1 membrane to effectively separate CO2 from CH4. The advantages of doping IL include: (1) narrowing the cavity size of POCs from 4.4 to 3.9 Å to enhance the diffusion selectivity, (2) strengthening the CO2 solubility to heighten the gas permeability, and (3) improving the compatibility between filler and matrix to upgrade membrane stability. After the optimization of the membrane composite, the IL@CC3/PIM-1-10% membrane possesses the CO2 permeability of 7868 Barrer and the CO2/CH4 selectivity of 73.4, which compared to the CC3/PIM-1-10% membrane, improved by 15.9% and 106.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the membrane has maintained a stable separation performance at varied temperatures and pressures during the long-term test. The proposed method offers an efficient way to improve the performance of POCs-based MMMs in gas separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The van der Waals antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 represents a promising platform for exploring the layer-dependent magnetism and topological states of matter. Recently observed discrepancies between magnetic and transport properties have aroused controversies concerning the topological nature of MnBi2Te4 in the ground state. In this article, we demonstrate that fabrication can induce mismatched even-odd layer dependent magnetotransport in few-layer MnBi2Te4. We perform a comprehensive study of the magnetotransport properties in 6- and 7-septuple-layer MnBi2Te4, and reveal that both even- and odd-number-layer device can show zero Hall plateau phenomena in zero magnetic field. Importantly, a statistical survey of the optical contrast in more than 200 MnBi2Te4 flakes reveals that the zero Hall plateau in odd-number-layer devices arises from the reduction of the effective thickness during the fabrication, a factor that was rarely noticed in previous studies of 2D materials. Our finding not only provides an explanation to the controversies regarding the discrepancy of the even-odd layer dependent magnetotransport in MnBi2Te4, but also highlights the critical issues concerning the fabrication and characterization of 2D material devices. MnBi2Te4 is an antiferromagnetic topological insulator. This combination of magnetic ordering and topological properties has resulted in intense interest, however, like many van der Waals materials, experimental results are hampered by fabrication difficulties. Here, Li, Wang, Lian et al. show that the fabrication process itself can result in mismatched thickness dependence of magneto-transport measurements. ' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an inelastic neutron scattering system was developed for element analysis in limestone with a D–T neutron generator and a 3*3 inch LaBr3 detector. Six sets of simulated limestone samples were prepared by proportionally mixing high-purity CaCO3, SiO2, and MgO powders and measured in situ with Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS) facility. Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) technique is used for noise reduction and filtering of the original gamma energy spectrum. The energy window method was used for quantitative analysis. The minimum detection limits for Ca, Si, and Mg in the samples were determined to be 0.019%, 0.021%, and 0.026%, respectively. The linear relationship between elemental content and the gamma-ray counts has been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We propose a NOR flash-based computing-in-memory (CIM) to implement high-precision (32-bit) Poisson image editing, including the gradient operations and Laplace operation. To meet the requirements of image processing, CIM operation schemes and reliabilities are carefully studied and optimized, showing that the power consumption at the near-threshold-voltage (NTV) region can be as low as 40 fJ/bit, which is two orders lower than working at the saturation region. High-temperature retention, as well as various disturbs, are also analyzed. The proposed CIM scheme can be applied as an energy-efficient approach to construct the high-precision image processing accelerator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leucism, a widespread occurrence observed in Northern snakehead (Channa argus), bestows a striking white jade-like body coloration upon affected individuals and has gained substantial popularity in commercial breeding. While the visible manifestation of leucism in snakeheads is primarily limited to body coloration, it is crucial to explore the potential influence of leucism on organ development and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Through a comparative analysis of growth differences, our study revealed that at 150 days post-fertilization, the white variety exhibited an 8.5% higher liver index and intestinal index, but experienced a 20% and 38% decreased in spleen index and renal interstitial index, respectively, suggesting an enlarged digestive area but relatively smaller immune tissues. Nonetheless, no significant differences were observed in the intestinal flora between the two varieties, suggesting the exclusion of any exogenous impacts from symbiotic flora on the growth and development of the white variety. Importantly, transcriptome analysis demonstrated that the white variety exhibited higher expression levels of innate immune genes. Furthermore, annotation of the gene sets expressed in the liver and spleen revealed 76 and 35 genes respectively, with the white variety displaying lower expression in genes associated with "Viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor", "Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum", and "TNF signaling pathway", while exhibiting higher expression in "Estrogen signaling pathway". Notably, three genes, namely pcdhf 4, nlrc3 card 15-like, and a pol-like were identified in both the liver and spleen, indicating their potential involvement in altering the development and innate immunity of the white variety. This study reveals the systemic impact of leucism that extends beyond mere pigmentation alterations, highlighting the prominent characteristics of this phenotype and providing a foundation for future molecular breeding programs aimed at enhancing this variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a global challenge due to its high morbidity and mortality rates especially in Asia as well as poor response to treatment. As a member of the adhesion protein family and transmembrane glycoprotein, EpCAM expressed excessively in cancer cells including GC cells. The database assay showed that EpCAM is excessively expressed and easily mutated in cancers, especially in early stage of GC. Methods: To explore the roles EpCAM plays in oncogenesis and progression of GC, the expression of EpCAM was deleted in GC cells with CRISPR/Cas9 method, and then the changes of cell proliferation, apoptosis, motility and motility associated microstructures in EpCAM-deleted GC cells (EpCAM-/-SGC7901) were detected to evaluate the rules EpCAM played. Results: The results showed that EpCAM deletion caused cell proliferation, motility and the development of motility-relevant microstructures inhibited significantly, apoptotic trend and contact inhibition enhanced in EpCAM-deleted GC cells. The results of western blot suggested that EpCAM modulates the expression of epithelial/endothelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) correlated genes. All results as above indicated that EpCAM plays important roles to enhance the oncogenesis, malignancy and progression as a GC enhancer. Conclusions: Combining our results and published data together, the interaction of EpCAM with other proteins was also discussed and concluded in the discussion. Our results support that EpCAM can be considered as a novel target for the diagnosis and therapy of GC in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To construct a novel nomogram model that predicts the risk of hyperuricemia incidence in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Methods: Demographic and clinicopathological characteristics of 1184 IgAN patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University Hospital were collected. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen out hyperuricemia risk factors. The risk factors were used to establish a predictive nomogram model. The performance of the nomogram model was evaluated using an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration plots, and a decision curve analysis. Results: Independent predictors for hyperuricemia incidence risk included sex, hypoalbuminemia, hypertriglyceridemia, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 24 h urinary protein (24 h TP), gross hematuria and tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (T). The nomogram model exhibited moderate prediction ability with an AUC of 0.834 (95% CI 0.804–0.864). The AUC from validation reached 0.787 (95% CI 0.736–0.839). The decision curve analysis displayed that the hyperuricemia risk nomogram was clinically applicable. Conclusion: Our novel and simple nomogram containing 8 factors may be useful in predicting hyperuricemia incidence risk in IgAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Electrochemical carbon-capture technologies, with renewable electricity as the energy input, are promising for carbon management but still suffer from low capture rates, oxygen sensitivity or system complexity1–6. Here we demonstrate a continuous electrochemical carbon-capture design by coupling oxygen/water (O2/H2O) redox couple with a modular solid-electrolyte reactor7. By performing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) redox electrolysis, our device can efficiently absorb dilute carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules at the high-alkaline cathode–membrane interface to form carbonate ions, followed by a neutralization process through the proton flux from the anode to continuously output a high-purity (>99%) CO2 stream from the middle solid-electrolyte layer. No chemical inputs were needed nor side products generated during the whole carbon absorption/release process. High carbon-capture rates (440 mA cm−2, 0.137 mmolCO2 min−1 cm−2 or 86.7 kgCO2 day−1 m−2), high Faradaic efficiencies (>90% based on carbonate), high carbon-removal efficiency (>98%) in simulated flue gas and low energy consumption (starting from about 150 kJ per molCO2) were demonstrated in our carbon-capture solid-electrolyte reactor, suggesting promising practical applications.By combining O2/H2O redox electrolysis with a modular solid-electrolyte reactor, a design for continuous electrochemical carbon capture showing high capture rates, high Faradaic efficiencies and low energy consumption is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The d4PDF-WaveHs dataset represents the first single model initial-condition large ensemble of historical significant ocean wave height (Hs) at a global scale. It was produced using an advanced statistical model with predictors derived from Japan's d4PDF ensemble of historical simulations of sea level pressure. d4PDF-WaveHs provides 100 realizations of Hs for the period 1951–2010 (hence 6,000 years of data) on a 1° × 1° lat.-long. grid. Technical comparison of model skill against modern reanalysis and other historical wave datasets was undertaken at global and regional scales. d4PDF-WaveHs provides unique data to understand better the poorly known role of internal climate variability in ocean wave climate, which can be used to estimate better trend signals. It also provides a better sampling of extreme events. Overall, this is crucial to properly assess wave-driven impacts, such as extreme sea levels on low-lying populated coastal areas. This dataset may be of interest to a variety of researchers, engineers and stakeholders in the fields of climate science, oceanography, coastal management, offshore engineering, and energy resource development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synovial fluid is made up of various biomacromolecules, including hyaluronic acid, aggrecans, lubricins, and phosphatidylcholine lipid, which are assembled onto the surface of articular cartilage in a gel state. Among them, brush-like biomacromolecules or assemblies have a vital effect on human joint lubrication. Inspired by this, the combination of brush-like molecular structures and gel-like assembly may be an efficient approach for the synthesis of biomimetic lubricating matters. Learning from the lubrication system of human joints, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) brushes grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (poly(NIPAAm-co-AA)) microgels, abbreviated as MBs-g-MGs, were synthesized as one kind of biomimetic lubricating additives. It is worth noting that this bionic strategy considered both molecular structure and assembled form, which enabled this hairy microgel to achieve low friction in aqueous medium. Meanwhile, the effective lubrication was still achieved when using MBs-g-MGs at high temperature, indicating that this microgel maintains a good lubricating effect over a wide range of temperature. In addition, this kind of microgel possessed good biocompatibility, which laid the foundation for potential biomedical applications. Looking beyond, these biomimetic microgels may provide an effective lubricating effect for water-based sliding interfaces, especially in biomedical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of composite Sophora colon-soluble Capsule (CSCC) on gut microbiota-mediated short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production and downstream group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mice model. Methods: The main components of CSCC were analyzed by hybrid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography ion mobility spectromety quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-IM-QTOF/MS). Twenty-four male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=6) by using a computer algorithm-generated random digital, including control, DSS model, mesalazine, and CSCC groups. A DSS-induced colitis mice model was established to determine the effects of CSCC by recording colonic weight, colonic length, index of colonic weight, and histological colonic score. The variations in ILC3s were assessed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The results of gut microbiota and SCFAs were acquired by 16s rDNA and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The expression levels of NCR+ ILC3−, CCR6+ Nkp46− (Lti) ILC3−, and ILCreg-specific markers were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Results: The main components of CSCC were matrine, ammothamnine, Sophora flavescens neoalcohol J, and Sophora oxytol U. After 7 days of treatment, CSCC significantly alleviated colitis by promoting the reproduction of intestinal probiotics manifested as upregulation of the abundance of Bacteroidetes species and specifically the Bacteroidales_S24-7 genus (P<0.05). Among the SCFAs, the content of butyric acid increased the most after CSCC treatment. Meanwhile, compared with the model group, Lti ILC3s and its biomarkers were significantly downregulated and NCR+ ILC3s were significantly elevated in the CSCC group (P<0.01). Further experiments revealed that ILC3s were differentiated from Lti ILC3s to NCR+ ILC3s, resulting in interleukin-22 production which regulates gut epithelial barrier function. Conclusion: CSCC may exert a therapeutic effect on UC by improving the gut microbiota, promoting metabolite butyric acid production, and managing the ratio between NCR+ ILC3s and Lti ILC3s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EMS maglev train uses the active control system to maintain the levitation stability, time delay is widespread in control system. However, the existing maglev dynamics studies rarely consider the effect of time delay, so these analysis results cannot directly guide the engineering design. This paper starts from a theoretical analysis of the levitation stability of a single electromagnet levitation system to obtain the theoretical critical value for the time delay. Then the model is gradually extended to a complete vehicle model and a vehicle-girder coupling dynamics model to find the time delay engineering critical values for the complex coupling system. In order to seek ways to reduce the influence of time delay on the dynamic responses, this paper analyzes the influence regularities of the running speed and control parameters on the dynamic response under the effect of time delay. The result shows that the theoretical critical value of the time delay is equal to the ratio of the differential coefficient and proportional coefficient of the PID controller. For a complex maglev system, the engineering critical value is less than the theoretical critical value. Higher running speeds lead to time delay having a more obvious effect on the maglev system's dynamic responses. Selecting the smaller proportional coefficient and appropriate differential coefficient for the levitation control system can expand the stability region and reduce the influence of time delay on the maglev system. This analysis is helpful and meaningful to the understanding of the EMS vehicle system stability, and helpful to explore the reason of violent coupled vibration in actual engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Somatic mutations within non-coding regions and even exons may have unidentified regulatory consequences that are often overlooked in analysis workflows. Here we present RegTools (www.regtools.org), a computationally efficient, free, and open-source software package designed to integrate somatic variants from genomic data with splice junctions from bulk or single cell transcriptomic data to identify variants that may cause aberrant splicing. We apply RegTools to over 9000 tumor samples with both tumor DNA and RNA sequence data. RegTools discovers 235,778 events where a splice-associated variant significantly increases the splicing of a particular junction, across 158,200 unique variants and 131,212 unique junctions. To characterize these somatic variants and their associated splice isoforms, we annotate them with the Variant Effect Predictor, SpliceAI, and Genotype-Tissue Expression junction counts and compare our results to other tools that integrate genomic and transcriptomic data. While many events are corroborated by the aforementioned tools, the flexibility of RegTools also allows us to identify splice-associated variants in known cancer drivers, such as TP53, CDKN2A, and B2M, and other genes. Analysing the regulatory consequences of mutations and splice variants at large scale in cancer requires efficient computational tools. Here, the authors develop RegTools, a software package that can identify splice-associated variants from large-scale genomics and transcriptomics data with efficiency and flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic deviance plays a crucial role in practice because it is very important for companies to gain competitive advantages. Previous studies have focused on the economic effects of corporate strategies, while ignoring the causes and influencing factors of corporate strategic decisions. Starting from the risk aversion of individual investors, this study introduces the roles of long-term and short-term institutional investors, and explores their impact on the companies' deviant strategies. Based on the listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets from 2010 to 2020 as research samples, we use the multiple regression method to test the relationship between different types of investors' shareholdings and corporate strategic deviance. The results show that there is a significant negative correlation between the shareholding ratio of short-term institutional investors and corporate strategic deviance, while the relationship is not significant with the long-term institutional investors' shareholding ratio. However, the comprehensive shareholding ratio of institutional investors is significantly positively correlated with the corporate strategic deviance. Furthermore, this study finds that, due to the risk aversion of individual investors, industrial earnings forecast error plays a moderating role in the relationship between the comprehensive shareholding ratio of institutional investors and the corporate strategic deviance. That is, the positive correlation between the two is significant when the industrial earnings forecast error is low, but not significant when it is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, nano-Co3O4/C composite catalyst was successfully synthesized by calcination of cobalt alginate (CA) film, which was prepared by ion exchange method. The morphology and structure of the films and calcined samples were characterized. It was found that the thickness of the film produced by Co2+ substituted Na+ was 20 μm, and the surface and side of the film were smooth and uniform. After the calcination of CA film at 400 °C, Co3O4 nanoparticles grown in situ were loaded onto the carbonized alginate skeleton. The results of the thermal analysis showed that the higher the content of catalyst, the more obvious the catalytic effect on AP. Compared with pure AP, the exothermic peak temperature with 3 wt% nano-Co3O4/C composite catalysts decreased by 103.1 °C, demonstrating the catalytic effect on the nano-Co3O4/C. The nanocomposite catalyst could be synthesized quickly and in large quantities in this way, which had certain theoretical and practical value for improving the combustion behavior of AP-based composite solid propellants. Based on inspiring by biomaterial, we have designed and prepared a nano-Co3O4/C composite catalyst by a facile ionic crosslinking solidification method, which effectively enhanced the thermal decomposition of the ammonium perchlorate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial characteristics are critical to the insulation performance of dielectric nanocomposites (NCs). However, the impact of physicochemical properties on interfacial characteristics and resultant dielectric properties is still unclear. In this study, the interfacial characteristics of epoxy resin/polyhedral-oligomeric-silsesquioxane (EP/POSS) are tailored by POSS functional groups, including octa-glycidyl (OG) and epoxycyclohexyl (ECH), to improve the dielectric performance. The characterization and experimental results show that the EP/OG-POSS exhibits better interfacial compatibility and dielectric performance than the EP/ECH-POSS. The molecular dynamic simulation results show that compared with the EP/ECH-POSS, the better interfacial compatibility of the EP/OG-POSS is derived from the intrinsically stronger interfacial interaction between the OG-POSS and EP, which results in a higher interfacial crosslinking degree and a more compact interfacial structure. It further reduces the free volume and mean square displacement of molecular chains. Thus, besides the self-crosslinking of EP matrix, the incorporation of the OG-POSS introduces more interfacial crosslinking sites, which can also act as deep traps for charges. The more the interfacial crosslinking sites, the deeper the traps. These deep traps hinder the charge transport, ultimately improve the volume resistivity and maintain uniform space charge distribution. Therefore, an effective approach is proposed to improve the charge-trapping behavior and dielectric properties of NCs by tailoring interfacial crosslinking sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: We identified 156 laccase genes belonging to 11 subfamilies in the wheat genome, and the natural variation of laccase genes significantly affected the development of wheat–arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Laccases (LACs) have a variety of functions in plant lignification, cell elongation and stress responses. This study aimed to reveal the phylogeny, chromosomal spatial distribution, coexpression and evolution of LAC genes in the wheat genome and to investigate the possible roles of LAC genes during arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis. The genomic characteristics of LAC genes were analyzed by using bioinformatics analysis methods, and the polymorphisms of LAC genes were analyzed by using a diverse wheat panel composed of 289 wheat cultivars. We identified 156 LAC genes belonging to 11 subfamilies in the wheat genome, and segmental duplication dominated the amplification of the LAC gene family in the wheat genome. LACs are dominantly located in the R2 region of wheat chromosomes. Some LACs are collinear with the characterized LACs in Arabidopsis thaliana or rice. A number of genes encoding transcription factors, kinases, and phosphatases were coexpressed with LAC genes in wheat. TaLACs may be potential targets for some miRNAs. Most TaLACs are mainly expressed in the roots and stems of plants. The expression of TaLACs could be regulated by the inoculation of Fusarium graminearum or AM fungi. The polymorphisms of TaLACs mainly accumulate by random drift instead of by selection. Through candidate gene association analysis, we found that the natural variations in TaLACs significantly affected root colonization by AM fungi. The present study provides useful information for further study of the biological functions of LAC genes in wheat, especially the roles of LAC genes during the development of AM symbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being the first intrinsic antiferromagnetic (AFM) topological insulator (TI), MnBi2Te4 is argued to be a topological axion state in its even-layer form due to the antiparallel magnetization between the top and bottom layers. Here we combine both transport and scanning microwave impedance microscopy (sMIM) to investigate such axion state in atomically thin MnBi2Te4 with even-layer thickness at zero magnetic field. While transport measurements show a zero Hall plateau signaturing the axion state, sMIM uncovers an unexpected edge state raising questions regarding the nature of the "axion state". Based on our model calculation, we propose that the edge state of even-layer MnBi2Te4 at zero field is derived from gapped helical edge states of the quantum spin Hall effect with time-reversal-symmetry breaking, when a crossover from a three-dimensional TI MnBi2Te4 to a two-dimensional TI occurs. Our finding thus signifies the richness of topological phases in MnB2Te4 that has yet to be fully explored. Previous work has reported an axion insulator state in a layered topological antiferromagnet MnBi2Te4 evidenced by a zero Hall plateau. Here, in addition to the zero Hall plateau, the authors identify edge states in transport measurements at zero field which challenge the axion insulator interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep drilling data on seismogenic faults that are obtained directly can help in understanding earthquake mechanisms and the resulting changes in deep structure and material composition. However, geophysical data are necessary to ensure that the planned borehole accurately drills through the target faults. In this study, the deep crustal structure of the Longmenshan fault is explored to obtain seismogenic fault characteristics of the Wenchuan earthquake. A scientific drilling project, Wenchuan Earthquake Fault Scientific Drilling No.4 Borehole (WFSD-4) is proposed with a borehole designed to drill through the north section of the fault zone while penetrating as many geological bodies and target layers related to seismogenic fault slip as possible. High-precision seismic exploration is then carried out to study the deep structure of the fault zone and achieve the scientific objective of the borehole. Two high-precision deep seismic reflection lines were arranged perpendicularly to the fault zone, and data were obtained through special acquisition schemes and processing methods. Finally, the surface position and drilling depth route of WFSD-4 are determined based on the interpretation results of seismic profiles. The seismic refl ection method for site selection of the Wenchuan earthquake fault scientific drilling is proven feasible by comparing the interpretation with the actual drilling results, laying the foundation for further study on the deep structures of fault zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagen I, the most abundant protein in humans, is ubiquitous in solid tumors where it provides a rich source of exploitable metabolic fuel for cancer cells. While tumor cells were unable to exploit collagen directly, here we show they can usurp metabolic byproducts of collagen-consuming tumor-associated stroma. Using genetically engineered mouse models, we discovered that solid tumor growth depends upon collagen binding and uptake mediated by the TEM8/ANTXR1 cell surface protein in tumor-associated stroma. Tumor-associated stromal cells processed collagen into glutamine, which was then released and internalized by cancer cells. Under chronic nutrient starvation, a condition driven by the high metabolic demand of tumors, cancer cells exploited glutamine to survive, an effect that could be reversed by blocking collagen uptake with TEM8 neutralizing antibodies. These studies reveal that cancer cells exploit collagen-consuming stromal cells for survival, exposing an important vulnerability across solid tumors with implications for developing improved anticancer therapy. Collagen can be a metabolic source to fuel cancer growth. Here the authors show that cell surface protein TEM8 mediates the binding and uptake of collagen in stromal cells and these cells processed the collagen to glutamine, providing an alternative energy source for tumour cells to grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effects on resorption of cervical disc herniation (CDH) and clinical outcomes of surgery. Cervical microendoscopic laminoplasty (CMEL), which is commonly preferable to anterior corpectomy and fusion, was applied to patients with 1- to 3-level degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). DCM patients with 1–3 levels DCM underwent either conservation treatment or CMEL. In conservation-treated patients (53 cases), CDH volume remained unchanged with no improvement in JOA and VAS scores. Conversely, 63 patients with 1–3 levels DCM were prospectively enrolled and exhibited a profound decrease in CDH volume: 89.1% of CDHs (123/138) regressed over 10%, 64.5% of CDHs (89/138) regressed over 25%, while 27.5% and 6.5% of CDHs (38/138 and 9/138) largely regressed over 50% and 75%, respectively. Meanwhile, the JOA and VAS scores were improved in different ways. Intriguingly, CDH volume changes correlated significantly with elevations in JOA scores, indicating an association of clinical CDH resolution with neurological recovery. We showed that CMEL induced clinically related diminishment of CDH and alleviation of clinical symptoms in patients with 1- to 3-level myelopathy and that it could help avoid anterior dissection of the disc to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important signaling molecule that involved in multiple physiological metabolic processes in plants. Excess H2O2 can destroy biological macromolecules to poison the cell. Thioredoxin peroxidase (Tpx) plays an important role in protecting plants from oxidative damage by clearing H2O2. In this study, tomato Tpx (SlTpx) gene was cloned and bioinformatic analysis was done. The mRNA transcript level of SlTpx in tomato root and leaf was increased significantly after NaCl stress treatment for 12 h. SlTpx overexpression transgenic tobacco plants were obtained to study its function under NaCl stress. The seed germination rate of SlTpx overexpression plants was higher than that in wild type (WT) plants under NaCl treatment. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in transgenic tobacco were less than in WT under NaCl stress. Transgenic plants had significantly higher antioxidant enzyme activities, proline and total soluble sugar contents, and expression of Na+ metabolism genes in transgenic plants than the WT. Moreover, The SlTpx transgenic seeds showed higher tolerance to H2O2 and methyl viologen (MV) treatment, compared with the WT. Besides, the growth of prokaryotic strain of pET-28a-SlTpx was better than the pET-28a strain with H2O2 treatment. The above results indicate that the SlTpx gene improves the plant salt tolerance by scavenging H2O2. Key message: Overexpression of tomato SlTpx gene in tobacco enhances the salt stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The NAD+-dependent deacetylase, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), plays an important role in vascular calcification induced by high glucose and/or high phosphate levels. However, the mechanism by which SIRT1 regulates this process is still not fully understood. Thus, this study aimed to determine the role of high glucose and phosphate in vascular calcification and the molecular mechanisms underlying SIRT1 regulation. Methods: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were cultured under normal, high phosphate, and/or high-glucose conditions for 9 days. Alizarin red staining and calcification content analyses were used to determine calcium deposition. VSMC senescence was detected by β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining and p21 expression. Results: Mouse VSMCs exposed to high phosphate and high glucose in vitro showed increased calcification, which was correlated with the induction of cell senescence, as confirmed by the increased SA-β-galactosidase activity and p21 expression. SRT1720, an activator of SIRT1, inhibits p65 acetylation, the nuclear factor-κ-gene binding (NF-κB) pathway, and VSMC transdifferentiation, prevents senescence and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and reduces vascular calcification. In contrast, sirtinol, an inhibitor of SIRT1, increases p65 acetylation, activates the NF-κB pathway, induces vascular smooth muscle cell transdifferentiation and senescence, and promotes vascular calcification. Conclusions: High glucose and high phosphate levels induce senescence and vascular calcification in VSMCs, and the combined effect of high glucose and phosphate can inhibit SIRT1 expression. SIRT1 inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell senescence and osteogenic differentiation by inhibiting NF-κB activity, thereby inhibiting vascular calcification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the extensively studied V2O3 as a prototype system, we investigate the role of percolation in metal-insulator transition (MIT). We apply scanning microwave impedance microscopy to directly determine the metallic phase fraction p and relate it to the macroscopic conductance G, which shows a sudden jump when p reaches the percolation threshold. Interestingly, the conductance G exhibits a hysteretic behavior against suggesting two different percolating processes upon cooling and warming. Based on our image analysis and model simulation, we ascribe such hysteretic behavior to different domain nucleation and growth processes between cooling and warming, which is likely caused by the decoupled structural and electronic transitions in V2O3 during MIT. Our work provides a microscopic view of how the interplay of structural and electronic degrees of freedom affects MIT in strongly correlated systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent variation of influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) antigen is the main cause of influenza pandemic. Therefore, the study of B cell epitopes of HA is of great significance in the prevention and control of influenza virus. In this study, the split vaccine of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus was used as immunogen, and the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were prepared by conventional hybridoma fusion and screening techniques. The characteristics of mAbs were identified by ELISA method, Western-blot test and hemagglutination inhibition test (HI). Using the obtained mAbs as a tool, the B cell epitopes of HA were predicted by ELISA blocking test, sandwich ELISA method and computer simulation method. Finally, four mAbs against HA antigen of H1N1 influenza virus were obtained. The results of ELISA and computer prediction showed that there were at least two types of epitopes on HA of influenza virus. The results of this study complemented the existing methods for predicting HA epitopes, and also provided a new method for predicting other pathogenic microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]