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Purpose: This study compared perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) through the PADUA score as well as assessed the predictive value of the PADUA score and the Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) score for postoperative complications. Methods: Totally 196 patients suffering from RAPN or LPN for renal tumors were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were categorized by PADUA score (low-, moderate-, high-complexity) and MAP score (low-, intermediate-, high-grade). Evaluated outcomes included operative time (OT), warm ischemia time (WIT), estimated blood loss (EBL), drainage duration, postoperative length of stay, and absolute change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at three months post-surgery, along with intra- and postoperative complications. Results: RAPN outperformed LPN in the low-complexity group by lowering WIT (P = 0.022) and absolute eGFR change (P = 0.011). For moderate-complexity group, RAPN reduced WIT (P = 0.021), absolute eGFR change (P = 0.027), and postoperative length of stay (P = 0.008). In the high-complexity group, RAPN reduced OT (P = 0.015), WIT (P = 0.023), EBL (P = 0.036), absolute eGFR change (P = 0.024), and postoperative length of stay (P = 0.019). Drainage duration showed no significant differences across groups (P = 0.442, P = 0.327, P = 0.260). RAPN incurred significantly higher total costs than LPN across groups (P < 0.001). ROC analysis suggested PADUA and MAP scores as reliable predictors of postoperative complications in RAPN (AUC = 0.880,0.828) and LPN (AUC = 0.757,0.702). Conclusion: RAPN provides significant advantages over LPN in managing complex renal tumors (PADUA score ≥ 10), significantly in reducing OT, WIT, EBL, and absolute eGFR change at three months post-surgery, while minimizing postoperative stay. The PADUA and MAP scores are valuable in predicting postoperative complication. Trial registration number and date of registration: Retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of autologous dental bone powder grafts with deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) allografts in oral implant bone deficiency. Methods: Between January 2021 and January 2023, we enrolled 120 patients with inadequate bone for oral implantation, dividing them into an experimental group and a control group (60 each). The experimental group received autologous dental bone powder grafts, while the control group received DBBM allografts. Wound healing was assessed using the early healing index (EHI) with 5 days of closure as the baseline timeline, as Grade I: full closure without a fibrin line, Grade II: closure with a fibrin line, and Grade III: closure with fibrin covering the incision. Additional outcomes included buccal and palatal alveolar bone height, alveolar bone width at 3 (W1), 7 (W2), and 11 mm (W3) below the top of the alveolar ridge, and bone density measured before and 3 months after tooth extraction. The altered shape of the alveolar bone at the extraction site was assessed at 3- and 6-months post-extraction. Implant success rate was also evaluated at 15 days and 1 month after implantation. Comparisons were made using independent t-tests, paired t-tests, χ² tests, and Z tests, as appropriate. Results: The experimental group had a lower wound healing time and a greater prevalence of EHI categorization class I compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Three months after tooth extraction, there was no statistically significant difference in buccal and palatal alveolar bone heights between the experimental group and the pre-treatment measurements (P > 0.05). However, the control group showed a decrease in buccal and palatal alveolar bone heights compared to the pre-treatment period, while the experimental group had greater bone heights than the control group (P < 0.05). Three months after extraction, the widths of W1, W2, and W3 decreased in both groups. However, the experimental group maintained greater widths compared to the control group (P < 0.05). At 3 months post-extraction, both groups showed an increase in alveolar bone density at the extraction site. Notably, the experimental group had a higher bone density compared to the control group as well as new bone contour score of the alveolar bone at the extraction site (P < 0.05). However, at 6 months after extraction, there was no statistically significant difference in the new bone contour score of the alveolar bone at the extraction site between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the implant success rate between the two groups. (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Autologous dental bone powder grafting promotes initial alveolar bone regeneration, enhances wound healing, and increases new bone density, providing favorable surgical conditions for dental implants. However, by 6 months, there was no significant difference in bone contour compared to DBBM allografts, indicating similar long-term clinical outcomes for both materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel-rich layered oxides are one of the most promising positive electrode active materials for high-energy Li-ion batteries. Unfortunately, the practical performance is inevitably circumscribed by the structural deterioration deriving from the Ni/Li antisite disorder, leading to severe capacity loss and life attenuation. Herein, we propose an economical and facile rejuvenation strategy by employing the magneto-electrochemical synergistic activation targeting the positive electrode in assembled Li-ion batteries. This approach induces a transition of Ni3+ from high-spin to low-spin, reducing the super-exchange interaction of Ni-O-transition metal (TM). Meanwhile, electrochemical reaction drives Li+ from the host material and promotes Ni3+ to reoccupy TM layer, recovering intrinsic Li site and extending cycle life. The strategy demonstrates that low-quality positive electrodes can be converted to high-quality ones. Notably, the method can revitalize an aged Li-ion pouch cell (SiC||NCM811, 8 Ah nominal capacity) via optimizing cation occupancy and increase its capacity by 10% from 6.49 to 7.14 Ah at 1 C, illustrating the benefits of the upcycling process. Severe Ni/Li antisite disorder in nickel-rich layered oxides leads to structural degradation and performance decay in Li-ion batteries. Here, authors report a noninvasive strategy of magnetoelectrochemical synergistic activation to realize ordered cation rearrangement and recovery battery capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncontrolled TLR signaling can cause inflammatory immunopathology and trigger autoimmune diseases. For example, TLR7 promotes pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. However, whether RNA structural changes affect nucleic acids-sensing TLRs signaling and impact disease progression is unclear. Here by iCLIP-seq we identify a TLR7-binding long non-coding RNA, Lnc-Atg16l1, and find that it promotes TLR7 and other MyD88-dependent TLRs signaling in various types of immune cells. Depletion of Lnc-Atg16l1 attenuates development of TLR7-linked autoimmune phenotypes in the mouse SLE model. Mechanistically, we find that Lnc-Atg16l1 binds to TLR7 at bases near U84 and MyD88 at bases around A129. The analysis of Lnc-Atg16l1 in situ structures show that it strengthens the interaction between TIR domain of TLR7 and MyD88 through specific stem-loop structure changes as a molecular scaffold after TLR7 activation to promote TLR7 downstream signaling. Therefore, we discover a mechanism for host RNA regulation of innate signaling and autoimmune disease through its structural changes. These findings provide insights into the pro-inflammatory function of self RNA in a structure-dependent manner and suggest a potential target for TLR-related autoimmune disorders. TLR7 has been shown to promote inflammatory autoimmunity. Here the authors investigate whether changes in RNA structure affect TLR signaling and show that a TLR7 binding lncRNA Lnc-Atg16l1 promotes development of autoimmunity in the mouse SLE model through enhancement of TLR7-MyD88 interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in the occurrence and development of malignant tumours. However, ceRNAs, which are significantly associated with the prognosis of breast cancer (BC), need to be further investigated. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effect of the lncRNA DDX11-AS1 on BC progression. Bioinformatics analysis via a public microarray revealed that DDX11-AS1 was upregulated in BC. The above findings were verified via RT‒qPCR analysis of BC tissues. Additionally, our study revealed that the expression levels of DDX11-AS1 increased with increasing pathological grade and lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, DDX11-AS1 knockdown markedly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of BC cells. Mechanistically, DDX11-AS1 could prevent the degradation of MTDH in BC via competitively binding with miR-30c-5p, which could act as a tumour promoter factor. Additionally, miR-30c-5p was downregulated and MTDH was upregulated in BC cells and tissues. The promoting effect of DDX11-AS1 on BC cells was enhanced by miR-30c-5p silencing and reduced by treatment with MTDH inhibitors. Collectively, the above results suggest that the DDX11-AS1/miR-30c-5p/MTDH axis could be associated with the progression of BC and that DDX11-AS1 could be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The output force of soft-pneumatic actuators is critical for their applications. However, the hyperelasticity of its material and the high compressibility of the actuation medium, i.e., air, lead to a strong asymmetric hysteresis, which poses a great challenge for its force control. An attention CNN (Convolution Neural Network)–AUPI (Amplitude-dependent Un-parallel Prandtl–Ishlinskii)-based force-position hysteresis modeling method for soft actuators is proposed. Based on the preliminary fitting of the asymmetric hysteresis curve by AUPI, the attention CNN mechanism extracts the global features of the hysteresis information, prevents the model from overfitting, and greatly improves the accuracy and generalization ability of the composite model. Experiments show that the CNN–AUPI model has excellent hysteresis fitting for soft joint actuators, with a maximum relative error of only 6.1% and a goodness-of-fit of more than 0.99. The proposed CNN–AUPI model is also compared with other hysteresis models, and the results show that the CNN–AUPI model not only has a high modeling accuracy but also has a strong prediction capability, which provides a promising method for hysteresis modeling of soft actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide-bandgap semiconductors have demonstrated considerable potential for fabricating solar-blind ultraviolet (SBUV) photodetectors, which are extensively used in both civilian and military applications. Despite this promise, the limited variety of semiconductors with suitable bandgaps hampers the advancement of high-performance SBUV detectors. In this study, we synthesized CdPS3 transparent single crystals using the chemical vapor transport (CVT) method. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the bandgap of CdPS3 decreases as the material's thickness increases, a finding corroborated by subsequent absorption spectra and photoelectric response measurements. The as-prepared CdPS3 nanosheets were employed as channels in photodetectors, demonstrating outstanding photoelectric performance in the solar-blind ultraviolet range (at 254 and 275 nm) with high responsivity (0.3 A/W), high specific detectivity (5.5 × 109 Jones), rapid response speed (2.6 ms/3.4 ms), and exceptionally low dark current (2 pA). It is noteworthy that these nanosheets exhibit almost no sensitivity to 365 nm and visible light irradiation, attributable to the direct carrier transition beyond the broad bandgap in CdPS3. Furthermore, high-quality imaging was achieved under different gate voltages using 275 nm ultraviolet light, underscoring the potential of CdPS3 as a new material for high-performance SBUV optoelectronic detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary challenge in CNC machining is optimizing arc interpolation for better smoothness and precision, as traditional methods often fail to maintain a consistent curvature, resulting in inefficiencies and inaccuracies. This study utilizes the Archimedes spiral, comprising a series of seamlessly connected circular arcs, as an innovative interpolation curve to improve arc interpolation efficiency and accuracy. The proposed methodology addressed the issue of constant arc interpolation curvature and facilitated the implementation of the spiral's interpolation algorithm. It employs the parametric equation of the Archimedes spiral to define tangent vectors, which is pivotal for the execution of the algorithm. In the context of speed planning, the curve was segmented into different sections, allowing the calculation of maximum acceleration based on the interval segmentation angle of the tangent vector. This segmentation facilitates the analysis of speed variations, which are consequently integrated to determine the speed distribution across different curve sections. Through this integration, the motion process is categorized, thereby achieving a refined speed distribution curve. This study introduces a realtime interpolation algorithm capable of calculating the largest axis of the tangent vector, thereby enabling precise pulse coordinates. This coordinate information are then effortlessly derived from the simple geometric relationships inherent in the spiral's structure. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulation and practical machining on two distinct graphical representations. Compared with the traditional linear interpolation algorithm, the proposed method improves the machining efficiency of heart-shaped curves by 6.85% while ensuring the machining accuracy. Comprehensive evaluation, encompassing track error, and surface roughness assessments, validates the enhanced performance of this interpolation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex product network change prediction can significantly reduce product redesign time. The accuracy of change predictions often depends on the richness of the historical sample data of this product. Aiming at the problems of less change data and low prediction accuracy in product design change prediction, this paper proposes an improved generative adversarial network using multiple discriminators based on real historical data and generated data called sdrgGAN to improve the data generation. Generated data and real historical data both are applied in the product intensity prediction. The proposed sdrgGAN has improved the multi-feature fusion ability based on feature similarity. The discriminator part is composed of several discriminators. This design improves the discriminant ability of the discriminator and is helpful in generating more realistic data. In the experiment, real historical change data of a TV set is applied. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short Memory Model (LSTM) are used for the prediction of a product change intensity. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed GANs in dealing with small sample problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly attractive porous materials with applications spanning the fields of chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Their exceptional porosity and structural flexibility have led to widespread use in catalysis, separation, biomedicine, and electrochemistry. Currently, most MOFs are synthesized under equilibrium liquid-phase reaction conditions. Here we show a general and versatile non-equilibrium flame aerosol synthesis of MOFs, in which rapid kinetics of MOF formation yields two distinct classes of MOFs, nano-crystalline MOFs and amorphous MOFs. A key advantage of this far-from-equilibrium synthesis is integration of different metal cations within a single MOF phase, even when this is thermodynamically unfavorable. This can, for example, produce single-atom catalysts and bimetallic MOFs of arbitrary metal pairs. Moreover, we demonstrate that dopant metals (e.g., Pt, Pd) can be exsolved from the MOF framework by reduction, forming nanoclusters anchored on the MOF. A prototypical example of such a material exhibited outstanding performance as a CO oxidation catalyst. This general synthesis route opens new opportunities in MOF design and applications across diverse fields and is inherently scalable for continuous production at industrial scales. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are typically synthesized in equilibrium liquid-phase reactions. Here, the authors have developed and present a general non-equilibrium flame aerosol method to produce nanocrystal, amorphous, and bi-metallic MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) tweezers are a promising multifunctional micromanipulation method that controls microscale targets via patterned acoustic fields. Owing to their device structure and bonding process, most SAW tweezers have limitations in terms of controlling the position and motion of the acoustic traps, as they generate an acoustic field with a fixed region and adjust the manipulation effects via signal modulation. To address this challenge, we propose movable SAW tweezers with a multilayer structure, achieving dynamic control of their wave field and acoustic trap positions; we demonstrate their precise manipulation functions, such as translation, in-plane rotation, out-of-plane rotation, and cluster formation, on a wide spectrum of samples, including particles, bubbles, droplets, cells, and microorganisms. Our method not only improves the degree of freedom and working range of SAW tweezers but also allows for precise and selective manipulation of microtargets via microtools and localized wavefields. Owing to their flexibility, versatility, and biocompatibility, the movable SAW tweezers can be a practical platform for achieving arbitrary manipulation of microscale targets and have the potential to play significant roles in biomedical microrobotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconfigurable phototransistors featuring bipolar photoresponses are favorable for manipulating high-performance neuromorphic vision sensory. Here, we present a momentum-conserved reconfigurable phototransistor based on the van der Waals heterojunction between methylammonium lead iodide perovskite and two-dimensional Bi2O2Se semiconductor, which exhibits a synergistic interplay of interband hot-carrier transitions and reconfigurable heterointerface band alignments, eventually achieving the ultrahigh bipolar optoelectronic performances with the photoresponsivity of 6×107 AW−1, accompanied by the specific detectivity of 5.2×1011 Jones, and the dynamic range of 110 dB. Moreover, A 3×3 heterotransistor array is fabricated to perform in-sensor analog multiply-accumulate operations even under the challenging dim illumination of 0.1 μWcm−2 that comparable to natural moonlight. The reconfigurable heterotransistor array can be further adopted to enhance the traffic-light detection under dim-light conditions. Our advancement in momentum-conserved reconfigurable heterotransistor signifies a leap forward in real-time, energy-efficient, and low-light image processing for neuromorphic vision sensors. Xu et al. report reconfigurable phototransistors based on MAPbI3/Bi2O2Se heterostructure, with momentum conservation promotes hot carrier extraction and interlayer carrier transport. Heterotransistor array enables traffic light signal detection under dim light, assisted by YOLOv4 neural network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, pretreatment is essential to enhance the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. However, hemicellulose is easily lost during the pretreatment process. To avoid the loss of hemicellulose while removing lignin during the pretreatment process, an acid-alkali union pretreatment was performed to recover hemicellulose and remove lignin. Firstly, acid pretreatment was employed at 120 °C using 1% H2SO4 and garden garbage for 1 h with the solid-liquid ratio of 1:7. Subsequently, alkali pretreatment was conducted at 120 °C using 1% NaOH and acid pretreated garden garbage for 1 h with the solid-liquid ratio of 1:7. The results indicated 75.1% hemicellulose recovery and 78.3% lignin removal through acid-alkali union pretreatment. Through enzymatic hydrolysis using acid pretreatment liquid and acid-alkali union pretreated garden garbage, cellulose, hemicellulose, and total sugar conversions reached 70.8%, 69.5%, and 70.3%, respectively. Enterococcus mundtii which could metabolize hexose and pentose simultaneously was used for LA fermentation. Eventually, because more xylose was metabolized and high initial xylose concentration reduced the byproduct yield (0.33 g/g), the LA concentration and yield reached 67.9 g/L and 0.71 g/g total sugar, which was 28.0% and 15.0% higher than that of single acid and alkali pretreatment, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable metals have become a new generation of materials for orthopedic and cardiovascular implantable devices due to their good degradability and biocompatibility. Precise bioadaptability principle requires the degradation behavior to be accurately adapted to the tissue repair in both time and space dimensions. However, most approaches deal with degradation control from a global perspective for a whole implant and neglect local precision control and directional control of degradation. In this paper, ultrafast pulsed laser surface modification method was used to tailor the degradation behavior of biodegradable zinc metal. Different micro/nanostructures including undulating grooves, streak and columns were obtained after nanosecond laser and femtosecond laser texturing. The former exhibited higher roughness values than the latter, and all laser texturing surfaces presented better hydrophobicity compared with the polished one. Electrochemical and immersion tests showed that the corrosion rate of zinc metal after laser modification was significantly elevated due to the synergistic effects of surface roughness and oxidation. Based on the above, the pure zinc metal rod with different laser surface texturing regions along the axial direction was designed, and its degradation was driven toward specific direction in SBF solution as expected. Results of this research can provide a new approach to tailor the degradation of biodegradable metals precisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (NCIT) is widely used in the perioperative treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the patterns of lymph node metastasis following this novel treatment approach remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to elucidate the distribution and frequency of postoperative lymph node metastasis (LNM) after NCIT. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed cases from March 2020 to March 2023 in our hospital and selected patients who underwent NCIT followed by R0 resection for esophageal cancer. A total of 257 patients with clinical stage T3N0 or T1-3N + thoracic esophageal cancer were included. The distribution and frequency of metastatic lesions in each lymph node station were recorded according to the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) staging system. Additionally, we analyzed the patterns of lymph node metastasis based on the location of the thoracic tumor. Results: Among the 257 patients, 110 (42.8%) had pathologically positive lymph nodes postoperatively. Common sites of lymph node metastasis included station 107 (12.8%), station 106recR (11.7%), and station 7 (12.5%). The lymph node stations with lower metastasis rates were station 105, station 106tbL, and station 111, each with a metastasis rate of 2.3%. In upper thoracic (Ut) cases, station 106recR (23.7%) was the most common site of lymph node metastasis, while in middle thoracic (Mt) cases, station 107 (16.7%) had the highest metastasis rate, and in lower thoracic (Lt) cases, station 7 (17.6%) had the highest metastasis rate. Lymph node metastasis (LNM) was more likely to occur in station 101R in Ut and Mt cases than in Lt cases (13.2% and 8.6%; p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study reveals the frequency and distribution patterns of lymph node metastasis following NCIT, highlighting the different patterns of lymph node metastasis based on tumor location. These findings can provide guidance for lymph node dissection during surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the foundation of circuits and electronic systems, the quality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) is directly related to the reliability of the whole system. At present, deep learning-based target detection technology has a broad application prospect in PCB defect detection. However, there are still some shortcomings in the process of detection. For example, the detection speed is slow, and the detection accuracy is not ideal for defects with small size. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved algorithm based on the YOLOv5s model to improve the detection of PCB defects. The algorithm enhances the connection between the shallow and high layers of the network by improving the backbone network structure. Meanwhile, a self-attention mechanism is introduced into YoloHead to enhance the feature extraction and the ability to focus on the global information of the feature map, and the self-attention mechanism is optimized by combining the computational characteristics of the SENet, the CBAM and the residual unit. While improving the accuracy of PCB defect detection, better computational efficiency is ensured. In subsequent experiments, this paper trains and tests the improved YOLOv5s algorithm using publicly available PCB defect datasets. The results show that the algorithm achieves a detection rate of 39.7 frames per second and a maximum average precision of 96.14%, which is a 4.68% improvement over the original YOLOv5s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spent hydrodesulfurization catalyst (HDS) is considered as the important secondary resource for Mo and Ni. The separation of Mo from HDS was usually conducted by soda roasting and water leaching, while Ni remained in the leached residue. This study proposed a method to recover Ni from leached residue by H2SO4 leaching and solvent extraction, and Ni was recycled in the form of NiO. The results showed that the optimum Ni leaching process were conducted using 30% H2SO4 with liquid–solid ratio of 10 at 70 ℃ for 120 min. The optimal extraction was accomplished using 30% di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (P204) saponification at pH value 6.0 with organic/aqueous (O/A ratio) of 1 for 1 min. Additionally, 20% H2SO4 could be used to strip Ni from organic phase with O/A ratio of 10. Finally, NiSO4 was calcined at 850 ℃ for 1.0 h to obtain NiO. The Ni leaching kinetic analysis showed that the activation energy of Ni leaching process was 16.10 kJ/mol, which was accorded with the shrinkage unreacted kernel model controlled by internal diffusion. This study provided an alternative method to recycle Ni and given a deeper insight to the leaching mechanism during H2SO4 leaching Ni from spent catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a global database of pitted cones on Mars. This database was created using an active deep-learning approach based on a global mosaic of Mars Context Camera (CTX) images, followed by extensive manual verification. The global database contains 250,547 pitted cones along with their central coordinates and diameters. 94.2% of the pitted cones have diameters ranging from 100 m to 1 km. Most of them are in the northern lowlands, while some are scattered in the southern highlands. Systematic evaluation of the extracted pitted cones is performed in Isidis Planitia, Acidalia Planitia, and Cerberus Palus on Mars. The results reveal that the precision ranges from 79.2% to 85.6%, and the recall rate ranges from 62.4% to 87.7%, indicating a varying among regions but satisfactory performance. Manual digitizing evaluation indicates that over 94.1% of manual labels by different annotators have a differentiation rate of 10%, showing promising precision and consistency. This global database can facilitate further research on the origin and evolution of pitted cones on Mars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the covid-19 pandemic, the digital strategy of education has become a key pedagogical approach for higher engineering disciplines. In this complex environment, the outcome-oriented higher engineering discipline faces the challenge of educational equity in terms of curriculum design and learning outcome assessment for its online engineering practical courses. In order to solve this problem, this study develops a digital teaching assistant system to facilitate the reform of educational equity in higher engineering disciplines. The teaching and learning functions of the system aim to support the interaction between teachers and students in the teaching process and the visual display of learning outcomes, and its intelligent evaluation and analysis function is based on the multi-criterion group decision-making model of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) combined with t-test to realize the evaluation of course learning outcomes. The results show that the academic performance of this system is significantly better than that of other similar systems. The statistical results of the teacher-student satisfaction survey of the two systems show that the teacher-student interaction and multi-dimensional learning evaluation analysis report function provided by the system are the most highly recognized, and the system also has better educational equity in resource recommendation, interaction and collaboration, learning achievement display and learning achievement evaluation, etc. In addition, the system is more in line with the teaching characteristics of higher engineering disciplines, which can provide effective assistance for teachers of higher engineering disciplines to improve teaching plan and cultivate students' disciplinary practicality, consequently creating favorable conditions for the establishment of teaching equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysosplenium sinicum, a traditional Tibetan medicinal plant, can successfully thrive in low-light environments for long periods of time. To investigate the adaptive evolution of shade plants in low-light environments, we generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly (~320 Mb) for C. sinicum by combining PacBio sequencing and Hi-C technologies. Based on our results, gene families related to photosynthesis and cell respiration greatly expanded and evolved in C. sinicum genome due to intracellular DNA transfer from organelle genome to nuclear genome. Under positive selective pressure, adaptive evolution of light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) component protein CsLhcb1s resulted in the expansion of threonine residues at the phosphorylation site of STN7 kinase, potentially establishing a crucial genomic foundation for enhancing C. sinicum's adaptability in low-light environments. Through transcriptome and metabolome analysis, we identified chrysosplenol and chrysosplenoside as predominant flavonoid metabolites of C. sinicum and predicted their synthesis pathways. In addition, analysis of alternative splicing (AS) revealed that AS events help regulate state transition and flavonoid biosynthesis. The present study provides new insights into the genomes of shade plants exposed to low-light conditions and adaptive evolution of these genomes; in addition, the results improve our current knowledge on the biosynthetic and regulatory processes of chrysosplenol and chrysosplenoside. A chromosome-level genome assembly for Chrysosplenium sinicum combined with transcriptomic and metabolomic data provides insights into the adaptive evolution of shade plants as well as the pathways responsible for biosynthesis of chrysosplenol and chrysosplenoside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August 2023, Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi K60 Ultra, the first multi-frequency smartphone integrated with BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System Precise Point Positioning (PPP-B2b) services and employing PPP technology as the primary positioning method. The positioning enhancement service is provided by the Assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS) location platform developed by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. The signaling interaction between the server and the users strictly adheres to the Third Generation of Mobile Communications Technology Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution Positioning Protocol and the Open Mobile Alliance Secure User Plane Location framework. To comprehensively evaluate the Redmi K60 Ultra's capabilities, this study designed six distinct experimental scenarios and conducted comprehensive research on multi-frequency and multi-GNSS observation noise, Time to First Fix (TTFF), as well as the performance of both GNSS-based and network-based positioning. Experimental results indicate that the GNSS chipset within the Redmi K60 Ultra has achieved a leading position in the consumer market concerning supported satellite constellations, frequencies, and observation accuracy, and is comparable to some low-cost GNSS receivers. A-GNSS positioning can reduce the TTFF from 30 to under 5 s, representing an improvement of over 85% in the cold start speed compared to a standalone GNSS mode. The positioning results show that the A-GNSS PPP-B2b service can achieve positioning performance with RMS errors of less than 1.5 m, 2.5 m, and 4 m in open-sky, realistic, and challenging urban environments. Compared to GNSS-based positioning, cellular network-based Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) positioning achieves an accuracy ranging from tens to hundreds of meters in various experimental scenarios and currently functions primarily as coarse location determination. Additionally, this study explores the potential of the Three-Dimensional Mapping-Aided (3DMA) GNSS algorithm in detecting Non-Line-of-Sight signals and enhancing positioning performance. The results indicate that 3DMA PPP, as compared to conventional PPP, can significantly accelerate PPP convergence and improve positioning accuracy by over 30%. Consequently, 3D city models can be utilized as future assistance data for the A-GNSS location platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document, published in the journal Molecular Biomedicine, discusses a study conducted at Southern Medical University South Hospital in Guangdong Province, China, to assess the neutralizing antibody (NAb) response and duration of RNA positivity in COVID-19 infected patients with immunocompromised diseases and pneumonia. The study found that patients who received three doses of an inactivated vaccine had the highest NAb titers after a second breakthrough infection (BTI). However, immunocompromised patients had lower NAb levels compared to immunocompetent patients, particularly those with lymphatic immune deficiency. The study also found that higher NAb titers may contribute to the prevention of pneumonia. [Extracted from the article]

Blastoid or pleomorphic mantle cell lymphoma (B/P-MCL) is characterized by high invasiveness and unfavorable outcomes, which is still a challenge for treating MCL. This retrospective study was performed to comprehensively analyze the clinical, genomic characteristics and treatment options of patients with B/PMCL from multicenter in China. Data were obtained from 693 patients with B/PMCL from three centers in China between April 1999 and December 2019. Seventy-four patients with BMCL (n = 43) or PMCL (n = 31) were included in the analysis. The median age of the cohort was 60.0 years with a male-to-female ratio of 2.89:1. The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 44.1% and 46.0%, respectively. Mutations of TP53, ATM, NOTCH1, NOTCH2, NSD2, SMARCA4, CREBBP, KMT2D, FAT1, and TRAF2 genes were the most common genetic changes in B/P-MCL. Progression of disease within 12 months (POD12) could independently predict the poor prognosis of patients with blastoid and pleomorphic variants. Patients with POD12 carried a distinct mutation profile (TP53, SMARCA4, NSD2, NOTCH2, KMT2D, PTPRD, CREBBP, and CDKN2A mutations) compared to patients with non-POD12. First-line high-dose cytosine arabinoside exposure obtained survival benefits in these populations, and BTKi combination therapy as the front-line treatment had somewhat improvement in survival with no significant difference in the statistic. In conclusion, B/P-MCL had inferior outcomes and a distinct genomic profile. Patients with POD12 displayed a distinct mutation profile and a poor prognosis. New therapeutic drugs and clinical trials for B/P-MCL need to be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the conventional Charpy impact test method, the oscillographic impact test can help in the behavioral analysis of materials during the fracture process. In this study, the trade-off relationship between the strength and toughness of a DZ2 axle steel at various tempering temperatures and the cause of the improvement in impact toughness was evaluated. The tempering process dramatically influenced carbide precipitation behavior, which resulted in different aspect ratios of carbides. Impact toughness improved along with the rise in tempering temperature mainly due to the increase in energy required in impact crack propagation. The characteristics of the impact crack propagation process were studied through a comprehensive analysis of stress distribution, oscilloscopic impact statistics, fracture morphology, and carbide morphology. The poor impact toughness of low-tempering-temperature specimens was attributed to the increased number of stress concentration points caused by carbide morphology in the small plastic zone during the propagation process, which resulted in a mixed distribution of brittle and ductile fractures on the fracture surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognosis of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) after surgery usually is estimated at diagnosis, but how the prognosis actually evolves over time for patients who survived for a predefined time is unknown. Methods: Data on patients with a diagnosis of LS-SCLC after surgery between 2004 and 2015 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The 5-year conditional cancer-specific survival (CCSS) and conditional overall survival (COS) were calculated. Results: This study analyzed 997 patients (555 women, 55.7%) with a median age, of 67 years (interquartile range [IQR], 60–73 years). The 5-year CCSS and COS increased from 44.7% and 38.3%, respectively, at diagnosis to 83.7% and 67.9% at 5 years after diagnosis. Although there were large differences with different stages (stages I, II, and III) at diagnosis (respectively 59.5%, 28.4%; 28.1% for CCSS and 50.6%, 24.8%, and 23.6% for COS), the gap decreased with time, and the rates were similar after 5 years (respectively 85.0%, 80.3%, and 79.4% for CCSS; 65.6%, 56.9%, and 61.3% for COS). The 5-year conditional survival for the patients who received lobectomy was better than for those who received sublobectomy or pneumonectomy. Multivariable analyses showed that only age and resection type were independent predictors for CCSS and COS, respectively, throughout the period. Conclusion: Conditional survival estimates for LS-SCLC generally increased over time, with the most significant improvement in patients with advanced stage of disease. Resection type and old age represented extremely important determinants of prognosis after a lengthy event-free follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural network models for audio tasks, such as automatic speech recognition (ASR) and acoustic scene classification (ASC), are susceptible to noise contamination for real-life applications. To improve audio quality, an enhancement module, which can be developed independently, is explicitly used at the front-end of the target audio applications. In this paper, we present an end-to-end learning solution to jointly optimise the models for audio enhancement (AE) and the subsequent applications. To guide the optimisation of the AE module towards a target application, and especially to overcome difficult samples, we make use of the sample-wise performance measure as an indication of sample importance. In experiments, we consider four representative applications to evaluate our training paradigm, i.e., ASR, speech command recognition (SCR), speech emotion recognition (SER), and ASC. These applications are associated with speech and nonspeech tasks concerning semantic and non-semantic features, transient and global information, and the experimental results indicate that our proposed approach can considerably boost the noise robustness of the models, especially at low signal-to-noise ratios, for a wide range of computer audition tasks in everyday-life noisy environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagen, known for its excellent biocompatibility and biological properties, has limited in vivo maintenance duration after implantation, while hyaluronic acid faces challenges such as various complications and insufficient support for cell proliferation. In this study, an injectable hyaluronic acid/collagen (HCol) hydrogel was developed to achieve enhanced cell-material interactions and accelerated skin regeneration. Physical and chemical characterizations demonstrated that the HCol hydrogel was injectable and stable after the implantation. In vitro cell culture results illustrated that the hydrogel promoted the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts, extracellular matrix expression and angiogenesis. The subcutaneous implantation in rats showed the superior biocompatibility of HCol hydrogel and enhanced secretion and deposition of extracellular matrix, compared with commercial hyaluronic acid dermal filler. MRI analysis showed that the hydrogel stably remained in vivo for at least three months. The histological examination and SHG signals further demonstrated that the hydrogel modulated fibroblast phenotype and stimulated vascular ingrowth and collagen synthesis, without inducing significant inflammation, swelling or erythema in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on previous studies on lactic acid (LA) production from food waste (FW, "cooked" waste from canteens and restaurants), the present study explored the feasibility of LA production from kitchen garbage (KG, "raw" waste from household kitchens). A considerable pretreatment method for fermentable sugar release in KG was investigated, and acid pretreatment was found to significantly promote polysaccharide hydrolysis. Furthermore, the optimal conditions of acid pretreatment were investigated through response surface methodology and determined to be 1.45% (w/v) sulfuric acid, 118.14 °C and 0.66 h, respectively, resulting in a polysaccharide conversion rate of 72.88%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed that the hemicellulose and lignin of KG were dissolved, which increased polysaccharide conversion in KG during acid pretreatment. Enterococcus mundtii was used in LA fermentation because it could metabolize a variety of fermentable sugars, including glucose, xylose, and fructose. Finally, the feasibility of LA production from KG hydrolysate with acid pretreatment was explored, and the maximum LA concentration and yield reached 60.3 g/L and 0.83 g/g total sugar, and 0.31 g/g KG (dry weight), respectively, which were 11% higher than those without acid pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolysis behaviors of polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and their mixtures are investigated by Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) under varying heating rates to research the co-pyrolysis kinetic and synergistic effect. Model-free methods (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose method, and Starink method) and model-fitting techniques (Malek method, Coats-Redfern method) were utilized to determine key kinetic parameters. The average activation energy are 224.69–225.19 kJ/mol for PP, 186–188.5 kJ/mol for LDPE, 195.64–197.48 kJ/mol for PP/LDPE composites. Model-fitting analysis was employed to elucidate the thermal pyrolysis mechanisms. For PP and LDPE, the A3/2 mechanism was found to be the governing pathway, whereas the PP/LDPE blends exhibited the A1 mechanism. Subsequently, compensation effect equations were derived to elucidate the synergistic interactions between PP and LDPE during co-pyrolysis process. The co-pyrolysis of PP and LDPE mixtures exhibit a lower pyrolysis temperature compared to the individual materials. Furthermore, the activation energy and pre-exponential factor results indicate a promotion effect in the early stage and an inhibiting effect in the later stage of the pyrolysis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the mechanical behaviour of steel–concrete composite beams under fire is of great importance. However, little attention has been paid to the effect of elevated temperatures on the shear performance of composite beams. This study innovatively investigates the shear behaviour of steel-normal concrete (NC) composite beams and steel-engineered cementitious composite (ECC) composite beams after elevated temperatures and water cooling. The experimental results show that the degradation of the mechanical properties of concrete was more severe than steel after experiencing 200 ℃ and 400 ℃. This deteriorates the synergistic working properties of the concrete slab and steel beam, and the shear strength of steel beam was not fully utilised. PVA fibres have completely melted under 400 ℃, and the shear performance of steel-ECC composite beam, particularly the ductility and energy absorption, was found to be significantly reduced. The reductions in the shear capacity, ductility, energy absorption, and initial stiffness after 400 ℃ were 12.6%, 23.8%, 31.3%, and 10.2% for the steel-NC composite beam respectively, and 25.7%, 52.8%, 64.3%, and 30.2% for the steel-ECC composite beam respectively. Furthermore, the prediction equation for the residual shear capacity of the composite beams after elevated temperatures and water cooling was established and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioaerosols are airborne suspensions of fine solid or liquid particles containing biological substances such as viruses, bacteria, cellular debris, fungal spores, mycelium, and byproducts of microbial metabolism. The global Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the previous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and influenza have increased the need for reliable and effective monitoring tools for bioaerosols. Bioaerosol collection and detection have aroused considerable attention. Current bioaerosol sampling and detection techniques suffer from long response time, low sensitivity, and high costs, and these drawbacks have forced the development of novel monitoring strategies. Microfluidic technique is considered a breakthrough for high performance analysis of bioaerosols. In recent years, several emerging methods based on microfluidics have been developed and reported for collection and detection of bioaerosols. The unique advantages of microfluidic technique have enabled the integration of bioaerosol collection and detection, which has a higher efficiency over conventional methods. This review focused on the research progress of bioaerosol collection and detection methods based on microfluidic techniques, with special attention on virus aerosols and bacterial aerosols. Different from the existing reviews, this work took a unique perspective of the targets to be collected and detected in bioaerosols, which would provide a direct index of bioaerosol categories readers may be interested in. We also discussed integrated microfluidic monitoring system for bioaerosols. Additionally, the application of bioaerosol detection in biomedicine was presented. Finally, the current challenges in the field of bioaerosol monitoring are presented and an outlook given of future developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hume-Rothery rules governing solid-state miscibility limit the compositional space for new inorganic material discovery. Here, we report a non-equilibrium, one-step, and scalable flame synthesis method to overcome thermodynamic limits and incorporate immiscible elements into single phase ceramic nanoshells. Starting from prototype examples including (NiMg)O, (NiAl)Ox, and (NiZr)Ox, we then extend this method to a broad range of Ni-containing ceramic solid solutions, and finally to general binary combinations of elements. Furthermore, we report an “encapsulated exsolution” phenomenon observed upon reducing the metastable porous (Ni0.07Al0.93)Ox to create ultra-stable Ni nanoparticles embedded within the walls of porous Al2O3 nanoshells. This nanoconfined structure demonstrated high sintering resistance during 640 h of catalysis of CO2 reforming of methane, maintaining constant 96% CH4 and CO2 conversion at 800 °C and dramatically outperforming conventional catalysts. Our findings could greatly expand opportunities to develop novel inorganic energy, structural, and functional materials.Elemental immiscibility limits the development of solid solution materials. Here, authors create a nonequilibrium flame aerosol method to mix nearly any pair of metal elements in a single-phase nano-ceramic. Also, an exsolution behavior is presented to produce active and stable nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymph node status is an important factor in determining preoperative treatment strategies for stage T1b–T2 esophageal cancer (EC). Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in T1b–T2 EC and to establish and validate a risk-scoring model to guide the selection of optimal treatment options. Methods: Patients who underwent upfront surgery for pT1b–T2 EC between January 2016 and December 2022 were analyzed. On the basis of the independent risk factors determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis, a risk-scoring model for the prediction of LNM was constructed and then validated. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the discriminant ability of the model. Results: The incidence of LNM was 33.5% (214/638) in our cohort, 33.4% (169/506) in the primary cohort and 34.1% (45/132) in the validation cohort. Multivariate analysis confirmed that primary site, tumor grade, tumor size, depth, and lymphovascular invasion were independent risk factors for LNM (all P < 0.05), and patients were grouped based on these factors. A 7-point risk-scoring model based on these variables had good predictive accuracy in both the primary cohort (AUC, 0.749; 95% confidence interval 0.709–0.786) and the validation cohort (AUC, 0.738; 95% confidence interval 0.655–0.811). Conclusion: A novel risk-scoring model for lymph node metastasis was established to guide the optimal treatment of patients with T1b–T2 EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Steady-State Visual Evoked Potential (SSVEP) is a widely used modality in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs). Existing research has demonstrated the capabilities of SSVEP that use single frequencies for each target in various applications with relatively small numbers of commands required in the BCI. Multi-frequency SSVEP has been developed to extend the capability of single-frequency SSVEP to tasks that involve large numbers of commands. However, the development on multi-frequency SSVEP methodologies is falling behind compared to the number of studies with single-frequency SSVEP. This dataset was constructed to promote research in multi-frequency SSVEP by making SSVEP signals collected with different frequency stimulation settings publicly available. In this dataset, SSVEPs were collected from 35 participants using single-, dual-, and tri-frequency stimulation and with three different multi-frequency stimulation variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the operating performance for cycloid pinwheel reducer in fields of transmission efficiency, compacted structure, load-bearing capacity, and tooth profile modification. A double-stage multi-objective optimized method is proposed that considers for parameters of structure and modification. Firstly, taking the high transmission efficiency and small volume of reducer as objectives, the constraint conditions included structural parameter size and strength limitations were analyzed. Based on genetic algorithm, the mathematical model for structural parameters of cycloid pinwheel reducer was established as the first-stage optimization; secondly, the algorithm of meshing force and the deviation between rotated angle modification and equidistance and moved distance combination modification were derived, taking the low meshing force and deviation as objectives, the theoretical model for modification parameters of equidistant and moved distance amount was proposed as the second-stage optimization. The results indicate that the comprehensive performance for cycloid pinwheel reducer can be improved effectively after optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents atmospheric N2O mole fractions measured from discrete air samples from 2001 to 2018 at Mt. Waliguan (WLG) station (36°17′N, 100°54′E, 3816 m asl) in China, which is a global background station of the World Meteorological Organization/Global Atmosphere Watch Programme (WMO/GAW) in central Eurasia. Observed N2O characteristics of annual means, interannual variability, and seasonal cycles were investigated. Our results show that N2O at WLG possess a distinct increasing trend and a statistically significant seasonal cycle, with an average growth rate of 0.9±0.01 ppb yr−1 (1σ)(1ppb=10−9), which is close to the global mean. The detrended seasonal cycle shows a trough of −0.25±0.04 (1σ) ppb in June and a peak of 0.13±0.07 (1σ) ppb in September, with an amplitude of 0.38 ppb. The pattern is due to combined effects of variation in surface sources, vertical convection within the boundary layer and stratosphere to troposphere transportation (STE). The interannual variability in growth rate was partly driven by quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) of tropical zonal wind through stratospheric transport into the troposphere. According to a cluster analysis of back trajectories and the corresponding average N2O load, most air masses cover arid and semi-arid areas in inner Asia with low N2O emissions, indicating that the atmospheric N2O at the WLG represents the background N2O level in central Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In this study, we constructed and validated models based on deep learning and radiomics to facilitate preoperative diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Materials and methods: CECT scans of 100 patients with OSCC (217 metastatic and 1973 non-metastatic cervical lymph nodes: development set, 76 patients; internally independent test set, 24 patients) who received treatment at the Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology between 2012 and 2016 were retrospectively collected. Clinical diagnoses and pathological findings were used to establish the gold standard for metastatic cervical LNs. A reader study with two clinicians was also performed to evaluate the lymph node status in the test set. The performance of the proposed models and the clinicians was evaluated and compared by measuring using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN), and specificity (SPE). Results: A fusion model combining deep learning with radiomics showed the best performance (ACC, 89.2%; SEN, 92.0%; SPE, 88.9%; and AUC, 0.950 [95% confidence interval: 0.908–0.993, P < 0.001]) in the test set. In comparison with the clinicians, the fusion model showed higher sensitivity (92.0 vs. 72.0% and 60.0%) but lower specificity (88.9 vs. 97.5% and 98.8%). Conclusion: A fusion model combining radiomics and deep learning approaches outperformed other single-technique models and showed great potential to accurately predict cervical LNM in patients with OSCC. Clinical relevance: The fusion model can complement the preoperative identification of LNM of OSCC performed by the clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Space Advanced Technology demonstration satellite (SATech-01), a mission for low-cost space science and new technology experiments, organized by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was successfully launched into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of ∼500 km on July 27, 2022, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Serving as an experimental platform for space science exploration and the demonstration of advanced common technologies in orbit, SATech-01 is equipped with 16 experimental payloads, including the solar upper transition region imager (SUTRI), the lobster eye imager for astronomy (LEIA), the high energy burst searcher (HEBS), and a High Precision Magnetic Field Measurement System based on a CPT Magnetometer (CPT). It also incorporates an imager with freeform optics, an integrated thermal imaging sensor, and a multi-functional integrated imager, etc. This paper provides an overview of SATech-01, including a technical description of the satellite and its scientific payloads, along with their on-orbit performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Docetaxel (Doc) is a cornerstone of chemotherapy; however, treatment with Doc often and inevitably leads to drug resistance and the formation of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs). In this study, we investigated the effect of Doc on non-small cell lung cancer to explore the role of PGCCs in drug resistance and the molecular mechanisms that regulate this resistance. We found that Doc induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and cell death in A549 and NCI-H1299 cells. However, many cells remained alive and became PGCCs by decreasing the expression of key regulatory proteins related to the cell cycle and proliferation. Notably, the PGCCs showed typical features of senescence, especially upregulation of p21 and p-histone H2A.X expression. Moreover, the mRNA level of IL-1β in the senescence-associated secretory phenotype was increased significantly with the development of PGCCs. Inhibition of IL-1β reduced the expression of p-histone H2A.X and promoted polyploidy to enhance the proapoptotic effect of Doc. Taken together, our results suggested that IL-1β was involved in the formation of PGCCs and regulated the senescence of PGCCs, which contributed to drug resistance to Doc. Therefore, targeting IL-1β in PGCCs may be a novel approach to overcome drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the in-depth expansion and integrated application of information technology, smart city is one of the important directions for nurturing breakthroughs in the new generation of information technology, and an important part of the development of global strategic emerging industries. In the context of world peace, the world economy is developing rapidly and the process of urbanization is accelerating. The construction of a city not only reflects the economic strength of the city, but also is closely related to the life of the citizens. Therefore, this paper aimed to explore a new way of urban cultural creative design. This paper focused on the application of human–computer interaction virtual reality (VR) technology in urban cultural creative design. For this reason, this paper designed an interactive and immersive urban design simulation platform based on VR technology. In order to choose the viewing angle freely and control the design module freely, this paper proposed improved gesture recognition algorithm and anti-collision algorithm. The algorithm designed in this paper can enable designers to have better presentation effects when working on the platform, making architectural design more intuitive. Experiments show that the average accuracy rate of the gesture recognition algorithm designed in this paper reaches 97.3%, which is 4.1% higher than that of the traditional algorithm; and when the anti-collision algorithm in this paper is set to the optimal parameters, the accuracy rate is as high as 95%. These results fully demonstrate that the human–computer interaction VR technology design platform proposed in this paper has good design performance and can be applied to urban cultural creative design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the eukaryotic translation initiation complex are co-opted in viral infection, leading to susceptibility in many crop species, including stone fruit trees (Prunus spp.). Therefore, modification of one of those eukaryotic translation initiation factors or changes in their gene expression may result in resistance. We searched the crop and wild Prunus germplasm from the Armeniaca and Amygdalus taxonomic sections for allelic variants in the eIF4E and eIFiso4E genes, to identify alleles potentially linked to resistance to Plum pox virus (PPV). Over one thousand stone fruit accessions (1397) were screened for variation in eIF4E and eIFiso4E transcript sequences which are in single copy within the diploid Prunus genome. We identified new alleles for both genes differing from haplotypes associated with PPV susceptible accessions. Overall, analyses showed that eIFiso4E is genetically more constrained since it displayed less polymorphism than eIF4E. We also demonstrated more variations at both loci in the related wild species than in crop species. As the eIFiso4E translation initiation factor was identified as indispensable for PPV infection, a selection of ten different eIFiso4E haplotypes along 13 accessions were tested by infection with PPV and eight of them displayed a range of reduced susceptibility to resistance, indicating new potential sources of resistance to sharka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent findings have shown that fatty acid metabolism is profoundly involved in ferroptosis. However, the role of cholesterol in this process remains incompletely understood. In this work, we show that modulating cholesterol levels changes vulnerability of cells to ferroptosis. Cholesterol alters metabolic flux of the mevalonate pathway by promoting Squalene Epoxidase (SQLE) degradation, a rate limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis, thereby increasing both CoQ10 and squalene levels. Importantly, whereas inactivation of Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase 1 (FDFT1), the branch point of cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, exhibits minimal effect on ferroptosis, simultaneous inhibition of both CoQ10 and squalene biosynthesis completely abrogates the effect of cholesterol. Mouse models of ischemia-reperfusion and doxorubicin induced hepatoxicity confirm the protective role of cholesterol in ferroptosis. Our study elucidates a potential role of ferroptosis in diseases related to dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism and suggests a possible therapeutic target that involves ferroptotic cell death. Cholesterol inhibits ferroptosis via CoQ10 and squalene metabolism and cholesterol diet can protect from hepatotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of carbon dioxide (CO2) through carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technology to produce valuable chemicals has good industrial prospects, and it is also an effective method to solve the problem of global warming and achieve sustainable development. Unfortunately, catalysts are needed to realize the chemical conversion of CO2 due to its low reactivity. In this work, we selected transition metal copper ions and rigid triazole organic ligand 4-(1H-1,2, 4-triazol-1-yl)-benzoic acid to synthesize two-dimensional(2D) bilayer coordination polymer containing pentanuclear copper cluster by solvothermal synthesis method, and its molecular formula is [Cu5(TABC)4(COO)2(μ-O)2(NO3)2(H2O)·11H2O] (Cu-TABC). The pentanuclear [Cu5O2(COO)6] cluster forms a 2D layered structure by connecting to linear ligands, and the three-dimensional(3D) supramolecular structure with one-dimensional(1D) channels is formed by π–π interaction between layers and further parallel stacking, in which the channel window is quadrilateral and the size is 11.6 × 11.5 Å. Simultaneously, coordination unsaturated copper ions can be used as Lewis acid sites to catalyze the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 and epoxides. Importantly, Cu-TABC exhibits excellent catalytic performance, recoverability and significant size effect under solvent-free and mild conditions (0.1 MPa and 25 °C). A pentanuclear Cu(II)-based 2D bilayer coordination polymer was used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 and epoxides with high activity under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reptile embryos can move inside eggs to seek optimal thermal conditions, falsifying the traditional assumption that embryos are simply passive occupants within their eggs. However, the adaptive significance of this thermoregulatory behavior remains a contentious topic. Here we demonstrate that behavioral thermoregulation by turtle embryos shortened incubation periods which may reduce the duration of exposure to dangerous environments, decreased egg mortality imposed by lethally high temperatures, and synchronized hatching which reduces predation risk. Our study provides empirical evidence that behavioral thermoregulation by turtle embryos is adaptive. Studies of soft-shelled turtles show that behavioral thermoregulation decreases egg mortality and synchronizes hatching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the impact on efficacy and safety between epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) alone and in combination with Shenqi Fuzheng injection (SFI) in patients with advanced NSCLC harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutations. Methods: Retrospectively, information of 88 patients receiving EGFR-TKIs as first-line targeted treatment or in combination with SFI in the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical College and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Anhui University of Science and Technology was collected. The primary endpoint was to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and safety of EGFR-TKIs alone or in combination with SFI. Results: Between January 2016 and December 2019, a total of 88 patients were enrolled in this research, including 50 cases in the EGFR-TKIs single agent therapy group and 38 cases in the SFI combined with EGFR-TKIs targeted-therapy group. The median PFS (mPFS) of monotherapy group was 10.50 months (95%CI 9.81–11.19), and 14.30 months (95%CI 10.22–18.38) in the combination therapy group. Compared to the single EGFR-TKIs administration, combinational regimen with SFI exhibited a lower incidence of rash and diarrhea in patients and was even better tolerated. Conclusions: SFI combined with the first-generation EGFR-TKIs are more efficient, can prominently prolong the PFS and attenuate the adverse reactions in patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR-sensitive mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]