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The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of a convolutional neural network (CNN) with preoperative MRI and clinical factors in predicting the treatment response of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). A total of 191 patients with unresectable HCC who underwent HAIC in our hospital between May 2019 and March 2022 were retrospectively recruited. We selected InceptionV4 from three representative CNN models, AlexNet, ResNet, and InceptionV4, according to the cross-entropy loss (CEL). We subsequently developed InceptionV4 to fuse the information from qualified pretreatment MRI data and patient clinical factors. Radiomic information was evaluated based on several constant sequences, including enhanced T1-weighted sequences (with arterial, portal, and delayed phases), T2 FSE sequences, and dual-echo sequences. The performance of InceptionV4 was cross-validated in the training cohort (n = 127) and internally validated in an independent cohort (n = 64), with comparisons against single important clinical factors and radiologists in terms of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Class activation mapping was used to visualize the InceptionV4 model. The InceptionV4 model achieved an AUC of 0.871 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.761–0.981) in the cross-validation cohort and an AUC of 0.826 (95% CI 0.682–0.970) in the internal validation cohort; these two models performed better than did the other methods (AUC ranges 0.783–0.873 and 0.708–0.806 for cross- and internal validations, respectively; P < 0.01). The present InceptionV4 model, which integrates radiomic information and clinical factors, helps predict the treatment response of unresectable HCC patients receiving HAIC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differences between the serum albumin determined by bromocresol green (BCG) and immunonephelometry (IN) were inconsistent in past studies, and the samples were all adults. We sought to determine the differences in children and reveal the impacts of these differences on the clinical diagnosis and treatments of primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS). Repeated measurements from 576 PNS children showed that albumin measured by BCG and IN (ALB-B and ALB-I) were 19.95 (11.15) g/L and 15.30 (11.05) g/L, respectively, and the mean difference was 4.68 g/L (P < 0.001). The cut-offs we calculated for hypoalbuminemia and severe hypoalbuminemia based on the IN were 25 and 15 g/L, which were 5 g/L lower than the cut-offs recommended by KIDGO, respectively. A pair of historical control samples (206 vs. 216) with ALB-B or ALB-I showed that the proportion of severe hypoalbuminemia was 14.60% greater in IN group (75.20% vs. 60.60%, P < 0.001). The misdiagnosis rate of severe hypoalbuminemia by IN was 33.77% when 20 g/L rather than 15 g/L was used as the cut-off. Furthermore, the proportion of patients receiving albumin injections increased by 10.20%, and the average consumption increased by 97.06% (P = 0.01) along with the use of IN. So, our results suggested that the difference between ALB-B and ALB-I led to misdiagnosis and prescription abuse in PNS children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jingfang Granule (JFG), a traditional Chinese medicine, is frequently employed in clinical settings for the treatment of infectious diseases. Nevertheless, the anti-aging and anti-infection effects of JFG remain uncertain. In the present study, these effects were evaluated using the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) N2 as a model organism. The results demonstrated that JFG significantly increased the median lifespan of C. elegans by 31.2% at a dosage of 10 mg/mL, without any discernible adverse effects, such as alterations in the pharyngeal pumping rate or nematode motility. Moreover, JFG notably increased oviposition by 11.3%. Subsequent investigations revealed that JFG enhanced oxidative stress resistance in C. elegans by reducing reactive oxygen species levels and significantly improved survival rates in nematodes infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027. These findings suggest that JFG delays reproductive senescence in C. elegans and protects them from oxidative stress, thereby extending their lifespan. Additionally, JFG improves the survival of P. aeruginosa-infected nematodes. Consequently, JFG has potential as a candidate for the development of anti-aging and anti-infection functional medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the double-difference tomography (tomoDD) method is applied to jointly invert the three-dimensional (3-D) crustal velocity structure and earthquake locations in the Maduo area based on automatically and manually picked seismic phase data. The results show that: (1) We speculated that the seismogenic fault is the Kunlun Pass–Jiangcuo Fault based on the spatial distributions of the aftershocks and surface rupture and the strike slip nature of the fault and the mainshock. In addition, a continuous northwest-trending branch fault may exist on the north side of the western section of the Maduo aftershocks. (2) We speculated that the Maduo earthquake was a bilateral rupture based on the media strength of the upper crust and near the surface and the seismic distribution. The findings also provide evidence for the large-scale rupture of the Maduo earthquake. In addition, the high-velocity body to the upper right of the mainshock satisfactorily explains the unobvious rupture above the mainshock. The late weak seismicity indicates that the energy released during the earthquake rupture was sufficient, and it is concluded that the short-term seismic hazard is insignificant. (3) The low S-wave velocity and high wave ratio reflect the existence of crustal fluids in the Maduo area based on the results of previous studies. The Maduo earthquake occurred on the side of the biased high-velocity body in the high-low velocity transition zone, where the stress easily accumulates and is easily released. Therefore, we conclude that the Maduo earthquake accumulated significant stress in the source area. The crustal fluids encountered a hard slope-type high-velocity body and flowed upward into the seismogenic fault, weakening the seismogenic fault. The combined effect of both processes finally triggered the Maduo MS7.4 earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histone acetylation modifications in filamentous fungi play a crucial role in epigenetic gene regulation and are closely linked to the transcription of secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a pivotal role in determining the extent of histone acetylation modifications and act as triggers for the expression activity of target BGCs. The genus Chaetomium is widely recognized as a rich source of novel and bioactive SMs. Deletion of a class I HDAC gene of Chaetomium olivaceum SD-80A, g7489, induces a substantial pleiotropic effect on the expression of SM BGCs. The C. olivaceum SD-80A ∆g7489 strain exhibited significant changes in morphology, sporulation ability, and secondary metabolic profile, resulting in the emergence of new compound peaks. Notably, three polyketides (A1–A3) and one asterriquinone (A4) were isolated from this mutant strain. Furthermore, our study explored the BGCs of A1–A4, confirming the function of two polyketide synthases (PKSs). Collectively, our findings highlight the promising potential of molecular epigenetic approaches for the elucidation of novel active compounds and their biosynthetic elements in Chaetomium species. This finding holds great significance for the exploration and utilization of Chaetomium resources. Key points: • Deletion of a class I histone deacetylase activated secondary metabolite gene clusters. • Three polyketides and one asterriquinone were isolated from HDAC deleted strain. • Two different PKSs were reported in C. olivaceum SD-80A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rockbursts have become one of the main engineering disasters in deep-buried tunnel, seriously threatening the safety of worker and equipment. To monitor microseismic (MS) events and predict rockburst, in the present study, a MS monitoring system was established in a deep-buried tunnel excavated by tunnel boring machine (TBM). Characteristics of MS events were studied and a prediction method for intense rockburst was proposed by analyzing the temporal–spatial distribution, source parameters, and failure mechanism. The results indicated that most of MS events occurred during the tunneling process and within 15 min after a tunneling cycle completed. The MS events mainly distributed within 15 m before and after the tunneling face, and within approximate 2.0 times of the tunnel diameter. The energy of these MS events mainly ranged from 30 to 100 kJ. The prediction method based on cumulative energy index of per day and cumulative apparent volume cannot predict intense rockburst accurately in the present study, the forecast accuracy less than 60%. The proposed prediction index based on the energy index of per MS event and the apparent volume of per MS event can effectively sharpen the forecast accuracy (> 85%). The failure mechanism of MS events was predominated by tensile failure. While as the rockburst segment transited from mild to intense, the percentage of MS events of mixed failure and shear failure increased, especially shear failure events. Highlights: The temporal and the spatial distribution characteristics of rockburst segment in a deep-buried tunnel were revealed. Microseismic event count, energy, energy index, apparent volume, failure mechanism, and the development process of mild, moderate, and intense rockburst segments were studied. A prediction index based on energy index and apparent volume of per microseismic event was proposed to forecast intense rockburst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LTBP1 is closely related to TGF-β1 function as an essential component, which was unclear in gastric cancer (GC). Harbin Medical University (HMU)-GC cohort and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset were combined to form a training cohort to calculate the connection between LTBP1 mRNA expression, prognosis and clinicopathological features. The training cohort was also used to verify the biological function of LTBP1 and its relationship with immune microenvironment and chemosensitivity. In the tissue microarrays (TMAs), immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed to observe LTBP1 protein expression. The correlation between LTBP1 protein expression level and prognosis was also analyzed, and a nomogram model was constructed. Western blotting (WB) was used in cell lines to assess LTBP1 expression. Transwell assays and CCK-8 were employed to assess LTBP1's biological roles. In compared to normal gastric tissues, LTBP1 expression was upregulated in GC tissues, and high expression was linked to a bad prognosis for GC patients. Based on a gene enrichment analysis, LTBP1 was primarily enriched in the TGF-β and EMT signaling pathways. Furthermore, high expression of LTBP1 in the tumor microenvironment was positively correlated with an immunosuppressive response. We also found that LTBP1 expression (p = 0.006) and metastatic lymph node ratio (p = 0.044) were independent prognostic risk factors for GC patients. The prognostic model combining LTBP1 expression and lymph node metastasis ratio reliably predicted the prognosis of GC patients. In vitro proliferation and invasion of MKN-45 GC cells were inhibited and their viability was decreased by LTBP1 knockout. LTBP1 plays an essential role in the development and progression of GC, and is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrogeology Journal 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 power router (PR) is a promising piece of equipment for realizing multi-voltage level interconnection and flexible power control in the future distribution power grid. In this paper, a hybrid PR (HPR) topology based on power-frequency transformer electromagnetic coupling with converters is proposed for the medium distribution power grid. The power-frequency transformer is used to undertake power transmission, voltage conversion, and other main tasks, while the power electronic converters are combined to achieve active control. Equivalent magnetic and electrical circuit models are established to help discuss the operating principle of the proposed HPR. Additionally, the power flow and control principle of the HPR in different operating conditions are analyzed, with the control system design scheme presented. The theoretical analysis results are verified by MATLAB/Simulink + Plecs simulation and a controller hardware-in-the-loop study, as well as a down-scale experimental test, indicating that the proposed HPR is flexible in active voltage support and current control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the variability and randomness of the geotechnical media, it is difficult to determine the constitutive parameters of the geotechnical materials in a numerical model. In this paper, a novel probabilistic back-analysis framework to update geotechnical parameters and better predict displacement due to shield excavations has been proposed. The surrogate model for the three-dimensional finite element model of shield tunneling is proposed to improve the computational efficiency based on proper orthogonal decomposition and artificial neural network (POD-ANN). In view of the cumbersome process of training the surrogate model, a training framework based on ABAQUS-PSO is presented. Considering the uncertainty factors such as the prior information of the geotechnical parameters and observation errors, probabilistic back-analysis based on Bayesian theory is implemented. The POD-ANN surrogate model and Bayesian theory are integrated to achieve an efficient back-analysis, and Delayed Rejection Adaptive Metropolis is used to solve the joint posterior distribution of the geotechnical parameters. To corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, it was applied to the displacement prediction of shield tunneling under a railway project. The results show that the proposed framework can significantly improve computational efficiency and prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 schools struggled to safely operate under the fast-changing pandemic situation. However, little is known about the impact of different school operating scenarios considering the ongoing efforts of vaccination. In this study, we deployed an agent-based simulation model to mimic disease transmission in a mid-sized community consisting of 10,000 households. A total of eight school operating scenarios were simulated, in decreasing order of restrictiveness regarding COVID-19 mitigation measures. When masks were worn at school, work, and community environments, increasing in-person education from 50% to 100% would result in only 1% increase in cumulative infections. When there were no masks nor contact tracing while schools were 100% in person, the cumulative infection increased by 86% compared to the scenario when both masking and contact tracing were in place. In the sensitivity analysis for vaccination efficacy, we found that higher vaccination efficacy was essential in reducing overall infections. Our findings showed that full in-person education was safe, especially when contact tracing, masking, and widespread vaccination were in place. If no masking nor contact tracing was practiced, the transmission would rose dramatically but eventually slow down due to herd immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock mass boreability assessment for tunnel boring machine (TBM) is of great significance for safe and efficient tunneling. This study presented an improved attribute-weighted deep belief network model (IAWDBN) to perform point and interval estimation of rock mass boreability. In the model, the Bayesian optimization algorithm was integrated to optimize the hyper-parameters automatically, and the early stopping strategy was merged to prevent overfitting; 219 sets of data in total were collected from three different tunnel projects to train the model. Each set of data was composed of four input variables (i.e., rock uniaxial compressive strength, rock quality designation, angle between weakness plane and TBM advancing direction, and tunnel diameter) and one corresponding output variable (i.e., field penetration index). In data preprocessing, the Kriging interpolation and CRITIC (criteria importance through intercriteria correlation) weighting algorithms were separately implemented to complement the missing data and determine the variable weight in the database. Then, the model was applied in Yinsong and LXB water conveyance tunnels (China). Results indicated that the root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), determination coefficient (R2), and interval coverage probability (ICP) of 37 sets of data in Yinsong water conveyance tunnel were 1.92, 7.88%, 0.9470, and 100%, respectively, and those of 49 sets of data in LXB water conveyance tunnel were 1.95, 5.85%, 0.9913, and 100%, respectively. Further, the impact of data weighting and confidence level on model performance was discussed, verifying the advantage of data weighting and suggesting that the confidence level should not be less than 93%. Finally, the comparison analysis was conducted with back-propagation neural network, extreme learning machine, support vector regression, random forest, one-dimensional convolutional neural network, and long short-term memory network in terms of prediction accuracy and running speed, demonstrating the superiority of the model built in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B 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.)

In 2021, an H7N3 avian influenza virus (AIV) was isolated from a mallard in Tianhewan Yellow River National Wetland Park, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. Sequences analysis showed that this strain received its genes from H7, H6, H5, H3, and H1 AIVs of domestic poultry and wild birds in Asia and Europe. It was mild pathogenicity in mice. These results suggest the importance of continued surveillance of the H7N3 virus to better understand the ecology and evolution of the AIVs in poultry and wild birds and the potential threat to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small molecule inhibitors of glycosylation enzymes are valuable tools for dissecting glycan functions and potential drug candidates. Screening for inhibitors of glycosyltransferases are mainly performed by in vitro enzyme assays with difficulties moving candidates to cells and animals. Here, we circumvent this by employing a cell-based screening assay using glycoengineered cells expressing tailored reporter glycoproteins. We focused on GalNAc-type O-glycosylation and selected the GalNAc-T11 isoenzyme that selectively glycosylates endocytic low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-related proteins as targets. Our screen of a limited small molecule compound library did not identify selective inhibitors of GalNAc-T11, however, we identify two compounds that broadly inhibited Golgi-localized glycosylation processes. These compounds mediate the reversible fragmentation of the Golgi system without affecting secretion. We demonstrate how these inhibitors can be used to manipulate glycosylation in cells to induce expression of truncated O-glycans and augment binding of cancer-specific Tn-glycoprotein antibodies and to inhibit expression of heparan sulfate and binding and infection of SARS-CoV-2. Here, the authors discover small molecules that inhibit glycosylation processes that occur in the Golgi apparatus of cells. The molecules reversibly inhibit formation of elaborate glycan structures without affecting secretion of glycoproteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Phytostabilization is known to be a promising technique to prevent the off-site movement of cadmium (Cd) from severely contaminated arable soils. Previous studies have recognized plants and amendments that could be potentially used for phytostabilization, such as non-edible fiber and energy crops and biochar. However, there is a paucity of information on the performance of these candidate crops and amendments for the application in the field. Methods: Twelve plant-amendment systems were established on the farmland severely contaminated with Cd in the South China karst area, which comprises cash crops kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), ramie (Boehmeria nivea), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) together with the application of lime, coconut shell biochar, and rice straw biochar at different rates. A comprehensive score was introduced to evaluate the performance of the studied plant-amendment systems, considering not only the indicators related to soil Cd mobility but also the costs. Results: After one crop cycle, a 40% median rate of reduction was achieved in soil available Cd. An intensive application of biochar lowered the comprehensive performance since a significantly increased cost gained only a slight improvement in the reduction of soil available Cd. Sorghum with 0.5% (w/w) rice straw biochar showed the best performance in the study site, which effectively sequestrated Cd in the roots and reduced soil available Cd at a relatively low cost. Conclusion: This work shows the performance and the comprehensive evaluation of candidate plant-amendment systems for the in situ phytostabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effect of behavior change technology on diet, exercise, and sedentary behaviors in colorectal cancer over the last decade. Methods: This study systematically searched six English databases (Cochrane Library, EMBASE, APA PsycInfo, SCOPUS, PubMed, Web of Science) and three Chinese databases (CNKI, WanFang, and SINOMEd), searched for eligible clinical trials published between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021. Each database follows the principle of PICOS and adopts the method of subject words combined with free words to conduct literature retrieval, such as “colorectal cancer” and “behavior change intervention.” Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Continuous data using the same measurement tools were analyzed using weighted mean difference (MD). Otherwise, standard mean difference (SMD) was used for analysis. The confidence interval is 95%. There was no significant statistical heterogeneity between the studies (P > 0.1, I2 < 50%), and fixed-effects model was used. There was statistical heterogeneity (P ≤ 0.1), I2 ≥ 50%), and the random effects model was used for analysis. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. Results: In total, 15 good-quality randomized controlled trials were identified. Six studies focused on eating habits. Twelve studies focused on physical activity. We found that behavior change techniques had significant effects on colorectal cancer survivors’ eating behaviors such as frequency of fruit and vegetable intake and mastery of dietary knowledge (P < 0.05). The meta-analysis showed that the amount of physical activity in the intervention group increased by 71.76 min/w (16.27 to 127.24, P = 0.01) at 3 months after treatment compared with the control group. The meta-analysis showed that the amount of physical activity in the intervention group increased by 113.97 min/w (48.34 to 179.59, P < 0.001) at 6 months after treatment compared with the control group. The results revealed significant difference in the overall effect of the behavior change technique on the amount of exercise. Behavior change techniques were not found to have significant effects on body weight and BMI in colorectal cancer survivors, but it had a significant effect on sedentary behavior (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The effects of behavioral change technique intervention on diet and physical activity may be more clinically significant at 6 months. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the effectiveness of a behavioral change techniques health behavior intervention in patients with colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have been widely used in tunnel construction. However, the TBM control parameters set based on operator experience may not necessarily be suitable for certain geological conditions. Hence, a method to optimize TBM control parameters using an improved loss function-based artificial neural network (ILF-ANN) combined with quantum particle swarm optimization (QPSO) is proposed herein. The purpose of this method is to improve the TBM performance by optimizing the penetration and cutterhead rotation speeds. Inspired by the regularization technique, a custom artificial neural network (ANN) loss function based on the penetration rate and rock-breaking specific energy as TBM performance indicators is developed in the form of a penalty function to adjust the output of the network. In addition, to overcome the disadvantage of classical error backpropagation ANNs, i.e., the ease of falling into a local optimum, QPSO is adopted to train the ANN hyperparameters (weight and bias). Rock mass classes and tunneling parameters obtained in real time are used as the input of the QPSO-ILF-ANN, whereas the cutterhead rotation speed and penetration are specified as the output. The proposed method is validated using construction data from the Songhua River water conveyance tunnel project. Results show that, compared with the TBM operator and QPSO-ANN, the QPSO-ILF-ANN effectively increases the TBM penetration rate by 14.85% and 13.71%, respectively, and reduces the rock-breaking specific energy by 9.41% and 9.18%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of TBM tunnel excavation, rockbursts often occurred on the structural planes, which had the characteristics of sudden and destructive. In this paper, combined with a water conveyance tunnel engineering in northwest China, the microseismic (MS) monitoring system was used to monitor the inoculation process of rockbursts at the single structural plane and multi-structural planes. Since the narrow working space of TBM tunnel, the true reflection tomography (TRT) was used to calculate the propagation velocity of P-wave in rock mass. The variation characteristics of MS parameters at the single structural plane and the multi-structural planes were compared and analyzed. Combined with fractal theory, the spatial fractal characteristics and variation trend of MS events on the structural planes were analyzed. Finally, the support measures for rockbursts of different grades were put forward. The results of this study are helpful to understand the inoculation process of rockbursts at different structural planes and have important reference value for the early warning of rockbursts in a deep-buried tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia chekiangoleosa is a popular variety of Oil-camellia that has high oil production and ornamental value. Microsatellite (SSR) markers are the preferred tool for the molecular marker-assisted breeding of C. chekiangoleosa. By focusing on the problems of the low development efficiency of polymorphic SSR markers and the lack of available functional markers in Oil-camellia, we identified 97,510 SSR loci based on the full-length transcriptome sequence of C. chekiangoleosa. An analysis of SSR characteristics showed that mononucleotide (51.29%) and dinucleotide (34.36%) SSRs were the main repeat types. The main SSR distribution areas based on proportion covered were ordered as follows: 5'UTR > 3'UTR > CDS. By comparing our data with those in databases such as GO and KEGG, we obtained functional annotations of unigene sequences containing SSR sites. The data showed that the amplification efficiency of the SSR primers was 51.72%, and the development efficiency of polymorphic SSR primers was 26.72%. Experiments verified that dinucleotide and pentanucleotide SSRs located in UTR regions could produce more polymorphic markers. An investigation into the genetic diversity of several C. chekiangoleosa populations also suggested that the developed SSR markers had higher levels of polymorphism. This study will provide a reference and high-quality markers for the large-scale development of functional SSR markers and genetic research in Oil-camellia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the exceptional optical qualities, luminous carbon dots (CDs), particularly those with room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP), have a wide range of applications in a variety of fields. However, modulating afterglow emissions practically and efficiently remains a serious difficulty. Herein, a feasible strategy of calcination combined with in-situ synthesis is proposed to fabricate CDs-based composites with multicolor fluorescence (FL) and phosphorescence. Through pre-selection of small pore RHO zeolite as a matrix, CDs have been successfully embedded due to strong guest—host interaction achieved by in-situ hydrothermal synthesis. By the unique pore architecture and excellent stability of the zeolite matrix, the surface oxidation degree and the carbon core size of confined CDs are engineered by temperature-controlled calcination. The resulting composites exhibit tunable FL (from 416 to 566 nm) and RTP (from 440 to 585 nm) in solid and aqueous solution, in which rarely occurring deep blue RTP is observed with a lifetime as long as 573 ms. Furthermore, the universality of such a calcination-modulated luminescent method has been proved by the AFI zeolite matrix. This study offers up a new way to regulate the luminescence of CDs facilitated by matrix, which considerably promotes the potential applications of CDs-based composites in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microseismic denoising is of great significance for source localization and source parameter inversion, which lays a solid foundation for rock burst early warning. This study developed a novel hybrid complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise-lifting wavelet transform (CEEMDAN-LWT)-based microseismic denoising approach. Firstly, the microseismic signal is decomposed into multiple different modes through the CEEMDAN. Then, the correlation coefficient between each mode and the microseismic signal is calculated to identify the valid, intermediate, and invalid modes. To address the issue of the coexistence of noise and useful information, the LWT is used to enhance the quality of intermediate modes. After that, the microseismic signal is reconstructed from the valid modes and the enhanced intermediate modes. In order to check the denoising capabilities of the proposed approach, a numerical experiment was carried out, and the results illustrated that the CEEMDAN-LWT achieved the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the smallest absolute reconstruction error (ARE) in comparison with the other eight denoising methods (i.e., CEEMD-LWT, EEMD-LWT, EMD-LWT, CEEMDAN, CEEMD, EEMD, EMD, and LWT). Finally, the CEEMDAN-LWT was applied to field microseismic monitoring of a water diversion tunnel project, which further verified its effectiveness, applicability, and superiority in microseismic denoising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is primarily regulated by m6A regulators, which play significant epigenetic regulatory roles in tumorigenesis, tumor development, and tumor immune microenvironment. However, the correlation between m6A regulators and immune cell infiltration in breast cancer remains unclear. Methods: In this study, m6A modification patterns were evaluated based on 31 m6A modification regulators. m6A clusters were determined by consensus clustering. Immune landscape and immune cell infiltration subgroups were characterized by m6A clusters. Key module and hub genes related to m6A regulators and immune infiltration cells were identified by WGCNA. LASSO algorithm was applied to select prognostic signatures. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to assess the prognostic value of gene signatures. Results: Two distinct m6A clusters were determined based on the expression of 31 m6A modification regulators and characterized by two tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) immune cell infiltration subgroups. Further, a total of 1971 differentially expressed genes between breast cancer patients and healthy controls were screened, nine modules associated with clinical characteristics of breast cancer patients were identified. Later, one key module and 13 hub genes correlated with m6A regulators and immune infiltration cells were identified. LASSO Cox regression analysis selected and constructed a ten-gene prognostic model to build a risk score system for individual breast cancer patient prognosis. The performance of the ten-gene-based risk score system was further validated in an independent dataset with an AUC of 0.659. Conclusions: This study revealed that m6A modification regulators played a significant role in the TIME regulation of breast cancer. The hub ten gene-based risk score system is valuable in predicting the prognosis of breast cancer patients, which may provide potential significance for breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and immunotherapy in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryogenic pressurization discharge involves on complex heat exchange and fluid flow issues, and the related thermal physical performance should be comprehensively investigated. In this study, a two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical model is adopted to research the outflow characteristic from a cylindrical liquid oxygen storage tank with the gas injection. The VOF method is utilized to predict the pressurization discharge with 360 K high-temperature gaseous oxygen as the pressurant gas. Validated against the liquid hydrogen discharge experiments, the numerical model is turned out to be proper and acceptable with the calculation errors limited within 20%. On the basis of the numerical model, effect of the flight acceleration level on the tank pressurization and liquid outflow performance are numerically simulated and analyzed, with the gas injection rate of 0.18 kg/s and the liquid outflow rate of 36.0 kg/s. Some valuable conclusions are obtained finally. The present study is significant to the safety flight of launch vehicle and may supply some technical supports for the design of cryogenic propellant system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penguins are one of the key components of the Antarctic ecosystem. Changes in penguin population size can indicate Antarctic ecosystem change. The two species of pygoscelid penguins, Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) penguins, breed sympatrically on Ardley Island, King George Island, Antarctica. However, there has been an increase in the Gentoo penguin breeding population and a decline in the Adélie penguin breeding population on the island. Whether the difference in population fluctuations between the two penguin groups is connected to their diet remains uncertain. Herein, the 18S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (18S rRNA) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes were sequenced from penguin feces using the Illumina MiSeq platform to investigate the fecal eukaryote composition of the two pygoscelid penguin groups to obtain insight into their diets. Significant differences in the abundance of Tardigrada and Rotifera sequences in the fecal eukaryote composition were observed between the Adélie and Gentoo groups. A range of food groups, including Actinopteri, Bivalvia, Coscinodiscophyceae, Florideophyceae, Haptophyceae, Hydrozoa, Malacostraca, and Phaeophyceae, were discovered in the penguin diets. Euphausia was the most important component of the diets of both Pygoscelis penguins. Compared with Adélie penguins, which showed a higher abundance of Actinopteri, Gentoo penguins presented a higher percentage of Euphausiidae in their diet. The COI gene is a more suitable taxonomic marker than the 18S rRNA gene for the dietary analysis of penguins. The results allowed the dietary components of Adélie and Gentoo penguins on Ardley Island to be characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid recognition of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by the MRE11/RAD50/NBS1 (MRN) complex is critical for the initiation of DNA damage response and DSB end resection. Here, we show that MRN complex interacting protein (MRNIP) forms liquid-like condensates to promote homologous recombination-mediated DSB repair. The intrinsically disordered region is essential for MRNIP condensate formation. Mechanically, the MRN complex is compartmentalized and concentrated into MRNIP condensates in the nucleus. After DSB formation, MRNIP condensates move to the damaged DNA rapidly to accelerate the binding of DSB by the concentrated MRN complex, therefore inducing the autophosphorylation of ATM and subsequent activation of DNA damage response signaling. Meanwhile, MRNIP condensates-enhanced MRN complex loading further promotes DSB end resection. In addition, data from xenograft models and clinical samples confirm a correlation between MRNIP and radioresistance. Together, these results reveal an important role of MRNIP phase separation in DSB response and the MRN complex-mediated DSB end resection. The MRN complex is a critical sensor and processor of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Here, the authors show that MRNIP forms liquid-like condensates to accelerate the MRN-mediated sensing and end resection of DSB, thereby promoting DSB repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of the shafts connecting underground mineral resources with the surface can directly affect the efficiency and operational safety of mining operations. In this study, factors affecting shaft stability are analyzed, and eight evaluation indexes are summarized. Compared with single weighting methods, a combination weighting method based on the sum of squared deviations can improve the accuracy of weighting the evaluation indexes. First, the indexes are subjectively weighted using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and the objective weights are calculated according to the criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC). Then, the combined weights are calculated based on the maximum sum of squared deviations. The preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) II decision-making algorithm is then used to transform the shaft stability evaluation into a multi-attribute group decision-making problem. The algorithm is verified by seven coal mine shaft cases in eastern China, and the algorithm achieves an accuracy of 100%. Furthermore, the influence of the Gaussian preference function, linear preference function, and 0–1 preference function on the performance of PROMETHEE II decision-making algorithm is analyzed. The Gaussian preference function is shown to be superior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chaetomium fungi produce a diversity of bioactive compounds. Chaetomium cochliodes SD-280 possesses 91 secondary metabolite gene clusters and exhibits strong antibacterial activity. One of the active compounds responsible for that activity, chetomin, has a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) of 0.05 μg/mL (vancomycin: 0.625 μg/mL). This study demonstrated that the addition of glutathione (GSH) can enhance chetomin yield dramatically, increasing its production 15.43-fold. Following genome sequencing, cluster prediction, and transcriptome and proteome analyses of the fungus were carried out. Furthermore, a relatively complete chetomin biosynthetic gene cluster was proposed, and the coding sequences were acquired. In the cluster of GSH-treated cells, proteome analysis revealed two up-regulated proteins that are critical enzymes for chetomin biosynthesis. One of these enzymes, a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), was heterologously expressed in Aspergillus nidulans, and one of its metabolites was determined to be an intermediate in the chetomin biosynthetic pathway. We present here, to our knowledge, the first experimental evidence that chetomin exhibits strong bioactivity against MRSA. Our work also provides extensive insights into the biosynthetic pathway of chetomin, in particular identifying two key enzymes (glutathione S-transferase (CheG) and NRPS (CheP)) that substantially up-regulate chetomin. These mechanistic insights into chetomin biosynthesis will provide the foundation for further investigation into the anti-pathogenic properties and applications of chetomin. Key points: • Chetomin exhibits strong anti-MRSA activity with MIC of 0.05 μg/mL. • Addition of glutathione improved the yield of chetomin by 15.43-fold. • CheG and CheP involved in the chetomin biosynthesis were revealed for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a memory device with bias electric field-manipulated multilevel resistance states based on ultra-thin and small area Fe70Ga30 (FeGa) films grown on BaZr0.2Ti0.8O3-0.5Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3(BZT-0.5BCT) ferroelectric films. Studies have shown that BZT-0.5BCT ferroelectric films exhibit good ferroelectric properties with saturated polarization of 11.3 µC/cm2 and excellent piezoelectric properties with displacement up to 70 Å. A coercive field of 91 Oe is derived from the magnetic hysteresis loop of BZT-0.5BCT/FeGa composite films. Local ferroelectric domain and ferromagnetic domain structures have been probed, which confirm the multiferroicity of the composite films. By applying the bias electric field along the thickness of the films, current–voltage (I–V) behaviors of the FeGa films on the BZT–BCT films can be modulated, and multiple resistance states are generated. Based on the analysis of polarization switching behavior and the electrical transport characteristics, we ascribe this bias voltage modulation of the resistance state to strain-mediated converse magnetoelectric effect, interface bonding effect, and interface charge-co-mediated behaviors. This work suggests a promising approach for exploring multilevel and multifunctional data storage in multiferroic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of human and mammalian have revealed that environmental exposure can affect paternal health conditions as well as those of the offspring. However, studies that explore the mechanisms that meditate this transmission are rare. Recently, small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) in sperm have seemed crucial to this transmission due to their alteration in sperm in response to environmental exposure, and the methodology of microinjection of isolated total RNA or sncRNAs or synthetically identified sncRNAs gradually lifted the veil of sncRNA regulation during intergenerational inheritance along the male line. Hence, by reviewing relevant literature, this study intends to answer the following research concepts: (1) paternal environmental factors that can be passed on to offspring and are attributed to spermatozoal sncRNAs, (2) potential role of paternal spermatozoal sncRNAs during the intergenerational inheritance process, and (3) the potential mechanism by which spermatozoal sncRNAs meditate intergenerational inheritance. In summary, increased attention highlights the hidden wonder of spermatozoal sncRNAs during intergenerational inheritance. Therefore, in the future, more studies should focus on the origin of RNA alteration, the target of RNA regulation, and how sncRNA regulation during embryonic development can be sustained even in adult offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The incidence and mortality rate of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has changed in recent years. Our goal is to determine the epidemiological pattern of NPC to help policymakers allocate limited medical resources. Methods: Detailed information about NPC from 2009 to 2019 was collected from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) and corresponding estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to assess NPC's incidence and mortality trends. Results: Globally, there was a consistent increase in the NPC incidence cases from 2009 to 2019 (from 121.65 × 103 cases in 2009 to 176.50 × 103 cases in 2019, increasing by 45.09%). The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of NPC increased from 1.81 in 2009 to 2.12 in 2019 (EAPC = 1.59, 95% CI 1.36–1.81). On the contrary, the mortality of NPC showed a downward trend (ASDR: 0.93 in 2009 and 0.86 in 2019; EAPC = − 0.63, 95% CI − 0.78 to − 0.48), and it was negatively correlated with the social demographic index (SDI) in most regions. Both incidence and mortality rates of high-incidence territories tended to be stable or decline. Males had significantly higher incidence and mortality of NPC than females. The number of patients with onset age greater than 50 years old accounted for the highest proportion. We found that smoking, occupational exposure to formaldehyde, and alcohol use were the main risk factors for NPC-related mortality. Conclusion: Globally, the incidence rate of NPC has been slightly increasing, while the mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) have been decreasing. NPC burden in high-middle and middle SDI areas was the heaviest. The current prevention strategy should be repositioned, and some countries should formulate more targeted approaches to reduce the current burden of NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the value and feasibility of combining fractional anisotropy (FA) values from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and total kidney volume (TKV) for the assessment of kidney function in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Materials and methods: Fifty-one patients were included in this study. All MRI examinations were performed with a 3.0 T scanner. DTI was used to measure FA values, and TKV was obtained from DTI and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). Patients were divided into three groups (mild, moderate, severe) according to eGFR, which was calculated with serum creatinine. Differences in the FA values of the cortex and medulla were analysed among the three groups, and the relationships of FA values, TKV, and the product of the FA values and TKV with eGFR were analysed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to compare the diagnostic efficiency of the FA values, TKV, and the product of the FA values and TKV for kidney function in different CKD stages. Results: Medullary FA values (m-FA), TKV, and the product of the m-FA values and TKV (m-FA-TKV) were significantly correlated with eGFR (r = 0.653, 0.685, and 0.797, respectively; all P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that m-FA-TKV exhibited better diagnostic performance than m-FA values (P = 0.022). Conclusion: m-FA-TKV obtained by DTI significantly improves the accuracy of kidney function assessment in CKD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the following k-coupled nonlinear Schrödinger system with Sobolev critical exponent: - Δ u i + λ i u i = μ i u i 2 ∗ - 1 + ∑ j = 1 , j ≠ i k β ij u i 2 ∗ 2 - 1 u j 2 ∗ 2 in Ω , u i > 0 in Ω and u i = 0 on ∂ Ω , i = 1 , 2 , ⋯ , k. Here Ω ⊂ R N is a smooth bounded domain, 2 ∗ = 2 N N - 2 is the Sobolev critical exponent, - λ 1 (Ω) < λ i < 0 , μ i > 0 and β ij = β ji ≠ 0 , where λ 1 (Ω) is the first eigenvalue of - Δ with the Dirichlet boundary condition. We characterize the positive least energy solution of the k-coupled system for the purely cooperative case β ij > 0 , in higher dimension N ≥ 5 . Since the k-coupled case is much more delicate, we shall introduce the idea of induction. We point out that the key idea is to give a more accurate upper bound of the least energy. It is interesting to see that the least energy of the k-coupled system decreases as k grows. Moreover, we establish the existence of positive least energy solution of the limit system in R N , as well as classification results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follow-up time* is calculated from the end of phage therapy The remaining one had urinary tract infection due to PDR-Kp and received bladder instillation with a mixture of four phages for 5 days [[5]]. In addition, in one case receiving a single phage, sputum was collected hourly for culture and phage-resistant strains were detected at the 6th hour after phage therapy, imposing risks of treatment failure and recurrence. Phage therapy is an alternative approach for managing difficult-to-treat infections caused by multi-drug resistant microorganisms such as carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, which represents a major challenge for treatment due to very limited options of antimicrobial agents [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

Nonlinear activation is a crucial building block of most machine-learning systems. However, unlike in the digital electrical domain, applying a saturating nonlinear function in a neural network in the analog optical domain is not as easy, especially in integrated systems. In this paper, we first investigate in detail the photodetector nonlinearity in two main readout schemes: electrical readout and optical readout. On a 3-bit-delayed XOR task, we show that optical readout trained with backpropagation gives the best performance. Furthermore, we propose an additional saturating nonlinearity coming from a deliberately non-ideal voltage amplifier after the detector. Compared to an all-optical nonlinearity, these two kinds of nonlinearities are extremely easy to obtain at no additional cost, since photodiodes and voltage amplifiers are present in any system. Moreover, not having to design ideal linear amplifiers could relax their design requirements. We show through simulation that for long-distance nonlinear fiber distortion compensation, using only the photodiode nonlinearity in an optical readout delivers BER improvements over three orders of magnitude. Combined with the amplifier saturation nonlinearity, we obtain another three orders of magnitude improvement of the BER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk factors of lung cancer unrelated to smoking are not well-studied, especially among women. Family history has been shown to play a role in predisposing individuals to lung cancer, but this relationship has not been investigated in the Southeast Asian population. A total of 1159 women were recruited in a case–control study conducted in public hospitals in Singapore from 2005 to 2008. After excluding participants with incomplete family history information, 374 cases and 785 controls remained in the final analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. Overall, family history of lung cancer was associated with a higher risk for lung cancer (aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.25–3.47). When stratified by smoking status, a significant association was observed among never-smokers (aOR 2.78, 95% CI 1.57–4.90). Further stratification by fruit consumption identified a significant association between family history of lung cancer and higher risk of lung cancer among never-smokers who had low fruit consumption (aOR 3.09, 95% CI 1.37–7.01). Our findings suggest that family history of lung cancer is a significant risk factor for lung cancer in Singaporean Chinese women, especially among never-smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the protective effects of Astragaloside IV (AST) in a rat model of myocardial injury induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Methods: The model of sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was induced by CLP. Using a random number table, 50 specific pathogen free grade of Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into 5 groups: the sham group (sham), the model group (CLP, 18 h/72 h) and AST group (18 h/72 h). Except the sham group, the rats in other groups received CLP surgery to induce sepsis. CLP groups received intragastric administration with normal saline after CLP. AST groups received intragastric administration with AST solution (40 mg/kg) once a day. The levels of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers in the serum of the septic rats were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at different time point, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, high mobility group box-1 protein B1 (HMGB-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA). Cardiac function was determined by echocardiography. Moreover, changes in myocardial pathology were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were analysed to determine the status of CLP-induced myocardium. In addition, the apotosis of myocardial cells was analysed by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL). The protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), IκB kinase α (IKKα), nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) were detected by Western blot analysis. Moreover, survival rate was investigated. Results: AST improved the survival rate of CLP-induced rats by up to 33.3% (P<0.05). The cardioprotective effect of AST was observed by increased ejection fraction, fractional shortening and left ventricular internal diameter in diastole respectively (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Subsequently, AST attenuated CLP-induced myocardial apoptosis and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax in the myocardium, as well as the histological alterations of myocardium (P<0.01 or P<0.05); the generation of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, HMGB-1) and oxidative stress markers (SOD, MDA) in the serum was significantly alleviated (P<0.01 or P<0.05). On the other hand, AST markedly suppressed CLP-induced accumulation of IKK-α and NF-κB p65 subunit phosphorylation (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusions: AST plays a significant protective role in sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction and survival outcome. The possible mechanism of cardioprotection is dependent on the activation of the IKK/NF-κB pathway in cardiomyocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peach bacteria leaf shot hole is a commonly occurring foliar disease of economic importance, which severely affects the host photosynthesis and contributes to substantial losses in yield each year. To date, however, the causal agents of this disease have yet to be conclusively identified. Based on morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, and the results of multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA), the causal pathogens were identified as the bacteria Pantoea agglomerans and Pantoea ananatis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the peach bacterial shot hole being caused by P. ananatis. The two pathogens can induce a clear hypersensitive response in tobacco leaves, indicating the isolates have strong pathogenic potential. Analysis of the biological characteristics of these pathogens indicated that they have good viability at temperatures ranging from 22 to 40 °C, with optimal temperatures for the growth of both species lying between 28 and 34 °C. However, P. ananatis was found to show slightly greater tolerance to high temperatures than P. agglomerans, the former being able to survive at 59 °C, whereas the latter cannot. The two species are also able to grow well over a broad range of pH from 4.0 to 9.0, with both growing optimally at pH 7.0, indicating that these pathogens are neutrophilic. In addition, they also show strong saline tolerance. These findings will contribute to gaining a more complete understanding of the factors contributing to disease epidemics and the development of effective disease control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical modeling of a functionally graded (FG) graphene nanoplatelet (GPL)-reinforced assembled beam–plate structure resting on elastic supports is presented for the first time, and its free vibration analysis is performed. Herein, the assembled structure is modeled according to the Kirchhoff plate theory and the Rayleigh beam theory. The graphene nanoplatelets (GPLs) gradiently distribute in the beam's radial direction and in the plate's thickness direction, respectively. By adopting the rule of mixture and the Halpin–Tsai model, the effective material properties can be obtained. By employing the Lagrange's equation and considering the effects of Coriolis force and centrifugal force, the coupled governing equations of the assembled structure are determined. Furthermore, the assumed modes method and substructure modal synthesis method are applied to obtain the frequencies of the assembled beam–plate structure. A comprehensive numerical investigation is carried out to discuss the influence of the structural and material parameters on the vibration behavior of the beam–plate structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising photovoltaic technology, perovskite solar cells (pero-SCs) have developed rapidly over the past few years and the highest power conversion efficiency is beyond 25%. Nowadays, the planar structure is universally popular in pero-SCs due to the simple processing technology and low-temperature preparation. Electron transport layer (ETL) is verified to play a vital role in the device performance of planar pero-SCs. Particularly, the metal oxide (MO) ETL with low-cost, superb versatility, and excellent optoelectronic properties has been widely studied. This review mainly focuses on recent developments in the use of low-temperature-processed MO ETLs for planar pero-SCs. The optical and electronic properties of widely used MO materials of TiO2, ZnO, and SnO2, as well as the optimizations of these MO ETLs are briefly introduced. The commonly used methods for depositing MO ETLs are also discussed. Then, the applications of different MO ETLs on pero-SCs are reviewed. Finally, the challenge and future research of MO-based ETLs toward practical application of efficient planar pero-SCs are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new alkyl polyglycoside, together with two known compounds (2 and 3), was isolated from the roots of Ardisia crispa (Thunb.) A. DC. Structures of these compounds were identified by 1D, 2D NMR, and HR-ESI-MS spectral data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on environmental-friendly surfactants are essential to potentially replace those highly toxic and non-biodegradable commercially available surfactants. Two biocompatible polymeric anionic (AS1) and nonionic (NS1) surfactants were successfully synthesised from palm oil derivatives via polyesterification. The cytotoxicity of surfactants was measured by in vitro succinate dehydrogenase activity (MTT assay). Results revealed that both surfactants achieved cell viability above 80% against human keratinocytes (HaCaT), mouse fibroblasts (3T3), mouse hepatocytes (H2.35) and canine kidney cells (MDCK) in both dose- and time-dependent manners. Antimicrobial potential of both surfactants was evaluated using minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assay. Results indicated that AS1 had a significant antimicrobial activity against most of the tested Gram-positive bacteria. Meanwhile, only one of the Gram-negative bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii) was successfully reduced by NS1. Both surfactants were subsequently compounded into natural rubber latex (NRL). From rheological study, AS1 exhibited better viscosity behaviour with longer linear viscoelastic region (LVR) towards high ammonia (HA) NRL, signifying its potential in providing stability in the latex environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rockburst is a kind of complex and catastrophic dynamic geological disaster in the development and utilization of underground space, which seriously threatens the safety of personnel and environment. Due to the suddenness in time and randomness in space, the prediction of rockburst becomes a great challenge. Microseismic monitoring is capable to continuously capture rock microfracture signals in real time, which offers an effective means for rockburst prediction. With the explosive growth of monitoring data, the conventional manual forecasting methods are laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, artificial intelligence was introduced to improve prediction efficiency. A novel tree-based algorithm was proposed. Its basic idea was to automatically recognize precursory microseismic sequences for the real-time prediction of rockburst intensity. The database consisting of 1500 microseismic events was analyzed. To establish precursory microseismic sequences, dimensionality reduction of the database was first implemented by t-SNE algorithm. Then, k-means clustering algorithm was employed for labelling 1500 microseismic events. Before that, canopy algorithm was adopted to determine the number of clusters. Finally, 300 precursory microseismic sequences were formed by the grouping rule. They were further partitioned into two parts through stratified sampling: 70% for training and 30% for validation. The validation results indicated that the precursor tree with pruning achieved a higher prediction accuracy of 98.9% than one without pruning on the validation set. And the increase was separately 12.2%, 9.2% and 28.6% on the whole validation set and each classes (low/moderate rockburst). In comparison with low rockburst, moderate rockburst was minority class. The improved accuracy on moderate rockburst suggested that pruning can enhance the recognition ability of precursor tree for the minority class. Additionally, two extra rockburst cases were collected from a diversion tunnel in northwestern China, which provided a complete workflow about how to apply the built precursor tree model to achieve field rockburst warning in engineering practice. The tree-based algorithm served as a new and promising way for the real-time rockburst prediction, which successfully integrated field microseismic monitoring and artificial intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is the third outbreak this century of a zoonotic disease caused by a coronavirus, following the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 20031 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 20122. Treatment options for coronaviruses are limited. Here we show that clofazimine—an anti-leprosy drug with a favourable safety profile3—possesses inhibitory activity against several coronaviruses, and can antagonize the replication of SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV in a range of in vitro systems. We found that this molecule, which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, inhibits cell fusion mediated by the viral spike glycoprotein, as well as activity of the viral helicase. Prophylactic or therapeutic administration of clofazimine in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis led to reduced viral loads in the lung and viral shedding in faeces, and also alleviated the inflammation associated with viral infection. Combinations of clofazimine and remdesivir exhibited antiviral synergy in vitro and in vivo, and restricted viral shedding from the upper respiratory tract. Clofazimine, which is orally bioavailable and comparatively cheap to manufacture, is an attractive clinical candidate for the treatment of outpatients and—when combined with remdesivir—in therapy for hospitalized patients with COVID-19, particularly in contexts in which costs are an important factor or specialized medical facilities are limited. Our data provide evidence that clofazimine may have a role in the control of the current pandemic of COVID-19 and—possibly more importantly—in dealing with coronavirus diseases that may emerge in the future.The anti-leprosy drug clofazimine inhibits coronavirus replication in several cell models and shows potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection in a hamster model, particularly when used in combination with remdesivir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]